Kuneoichi
by Kandescent Shades
Summary: All warfare is based on deception. And by extension, so are the people who fight in them. Separated for years, eventually Blake will have to come to terms with her past involving Neo. Once close as sisters, now however, they can't look at each other the same way. "The mission comes first. Emotions come second." Who will prove to be the better kunoichi? How much must be sacrificed?
1. The First Step

**A/N Hello everyone. I've been playing around with possible ideas for a serious plotline. It's been difficult but I decided to take a rather creative approach. This is basically darker AU to canon but I will try to keep everyone in character. Be aware, however, that I will tweak the characters a bit to fit the setting and to insert a little influence from my own perspective. I'll save the rest for the end note. Please enjoy. **

* * *

_**"The wind of life and air from above smells of death  
Angels sing of the end  
There's nothing you say and nothing you try can change time  
Human race prepares to die..."**_

* * *

The shattered moon watched silently from above as though judging the people below. Forever Fall looked particularly glorious in the day, yet retained its beauty even at night. The ceremonial fires flickered from the tiki torches placed around the area. I was nervous, but I kept my breathing steady, albeit bated slightly.

I was leaning against a tree with my arms crossed tenderly. Besides me was my closest friend, who was a little less composed than me, fidgeting with her fingers. Today was an important day. Soon enough our test would begin.

A dark figure emerged from the shadows. He had broad shoulders, a black attire, and spiky brown hair with red streaks. Most people knew him as Adam. Adam Taurus. He was three years older. I knew him as my mentor, and by extension, my friend. One of the few friends I had.

He always wore a mask to cover his eyes, so it was left to my imagination to guess at the color of them. I liked to think that it contrasted to his outfit to give him more vividness. But of course, that was wishful thinking.

Growing up, it was difficult being a Faunus. What frustrated me the most besides the inequitable judgment were the people who encouraged me to ignore it. How? That was an impossible request, and it would do nothing to change things. The saddest moment in my life was when my parents died. They fought for equal rights, but ended up dead from an incident. The pain never really left, it just numbed over time. But I still felt it. I almost gave up on everything, including the White Fang.

Except one day, I found my support. Someone who tethered me to the bright side of life and gave me hope. It was a hot summer day and I had only wanted to purchase an ice cream cone. The vendor refused to serve me and proceeded to humiliate me in public. I was crying after several children approached and bullied me excessively. They called me adopted, a freak, a _thing._ But as they were laughing-

Splat. A large scoop of ice cream hit one of the boys' faces. Then another. And one more after that.

Suddenly the group was chased away by an eccentric girl with a huge umbrella. Well, it looked larger at the time since I was only seven or so. She stepped over to me and offered a hand. The hand that wasn't dripping with ice cream anyway.

I gladly took her offer of assistance and then noticed something else. She was human. Strange pink and brown mix-matched hair but still human. Why did she help me?

I was very wary after I had gotten a good look at her and stood staring at my feet awkwardly. I tried to mutter thank you and then prepared to run away but then-

She extended the hand holding the remaining ice cream. I looked into her eyes but she didn't blink. Those eyes were pretty, and the intention behind them was genuine.

'Would you like my ice cream? I saw that you couldn't get one,' was what she was basically trying to convey. I hesitated at first, but her expression was so endearing I couldn't resist. I gratefully accepted her generosity and savored every lick. She grabbed my hand gently and led me away from the ice cream parlor.

After I finished my (well, technically hers) ice cream, we sat down on a bench near a local park. I mustered up the nerve to start a conversation. After all, I still needed to thank her.

"Umm... thank you for back there. I wish you didn't have to waste most of your ice cream, though. May I... get to know your name? I'd like to pay you back if I can," I managed to enunciate clearly enough. My new acquaintance blinked and I could've sworn her eye color changed. Maybe it was just the light however.

_"Neo,"_ she whispered so that I could barely hear her, but her voice was melodic. It was so innocent and gentle.

"Well, Neo, I'm Blake. Do you live somewhere near? Maybe I can stop by sometime to pay you back," I offered politely. Neo looked slightly saddened.

_"Alone..."_ she replied and I wondered what she meant by that. But I was quite precocious for my age and quickly figured it out.

"Are you... do you not have parents?" I tried to intone tactfully. She nodded and I felt sorry for her since I had similar circumstances.

"Are you living in an orphanage? With other family?..." I inquired but her dispirited visage said everything. I stopped abruptly. She must've been supporting herself but only barely. Now that I examined her closer, her pure white T-shirt was clear but wrinkled and her hair was roughly combed and there were many split-ends and stray hairs protruding. This girl seemed to be in a worse position than me. At least I had the White Fang behind to help me through tough times, she, on the other hand, had no one.

But one thing still bothered me. Why did she help me? Didn't all humans hate Faunus?

"Why... why did you help me?" I queried as evenly as I could. She had no qualms on answering.

_"Same,"_ she replied simply. I was perplexed. Same? What was the same?

She cautiously reached a hand over and patted my exposed cat ears. I gasped in shock, which caused her to flinch and back away, afraid that she had offended me. But the compassionate way she stroked my ears and lack of discriminatory eyes earned my trust. I understood instantly. She considered us to be the same, disregarding the race disparity of human and Faunus. And that was how I met my first true friend.

I brought her along to be indoctrinated into the White Fang. At first it was difficult to convince the higher-ups of letting a human join the group, but seeing as she was a child whose opinion on the world wasn't yet set in stone, Neo was accepted and I was assigned to teach her of our customs and purpose. I never felt so happy before. Not in a long time.

I later found out that her parents were killed for actually supporting the White Fang. Very few humans had during the Revolution. Those that did were viewed as heretics and traitors. This only consolidated my drive to help Neo get through all this mess so that one day, we might see a better world where humans and Faunus could walk hand in hand without any more suffering.

"Blake, it's time," Adam addressed me, breaking my reverie.

"Okay," I responded taciturnly and walked to the other side of the circle inscribed on the floor. I turned around.

Neo faced me on the other side with a hesitant expression. But there was a look of resolve amongst her anxiety. She was ready as I was.

"Begin," Adam said and he retreated a few steps back into the shadows alongside another figure. I drew the sword from my back. Neo mirrored my actions. We briefly assessed one another before I made the first move and strode forth swiftly to initialize the fight.

Neo deftly deflected the swing and responded in kind with an uppercut. I sidestepped this maneuver and swept at her feet, forcing a somersault. We instantly met with our swords again, as though they were magnetized. Just as quickly, however, we broke apart and continued keeping pace with slashes and parries. Neither of us was going to give up easily, but we both knew Adam would not be satisfied by this. We had to step it up.

"Is this truly necessary?" The girl beside Adam whispered to him. He didn't give any sign of acknowledgement until he spoke up.

"I have to see who's stronger. The victor will be suitable to lead the White Fang's new covert division," he answered dryly. Covert division? What was that?

"Then you intend to... I see. That's why you brought _him_ along..."

"Exactly."

The clash of metal resonated through the air. The match had lasted for three minutes so far. But we both knew the end was near. I willed all my focus into my sword and placed my faith in this final sequence of moves that would hopefully outplay Neo. She readied to do the same.

We ran towards each other with calculated steps. Even the slightest inch would change the outcome of the duel. We neared within each other's proximity with less than three meters. I feinted with an overhead swing while Neo attempted a diagonal swipe to her upper left. Then we both played our trump card simultaneously.

I shattered her illusion and switched places with my shadow. Neo had expected this made to counter me. I produced a second copy of myself to gain an advantageous position over her. As I sliced at her, she broke into pieces. A second illusion to counteract my counter.

Only through reflexes did I manage to aim my sword at her abdomen. I could not celebrate my triumph however, seeing as Neo had reversed her sword grip and had a blade pressed lightly to my throat. A stalemate.

"Enough," Adam said tersely and we relinquished our tense stances. A small cut traced my neck and a slight wound adorned Neo's stomach. She smiled at me however and I returned it. We hugged each other, silently praising the other for our well-played tactics.

"Well. That was interesting. But you don't have a victor now... so what will you do?" The girl in the shadows said. Adam didn't respond to her this time.

"Bring out the traitor," he commanded regally and two White Fang members escorted a man in his mid-twenties. He had sideburns on his face and wore a grey shirt. Tukson, wasn't it?

Adam retrieved something from behind a tree. He kept it hidden behind him and then spoke to us.

"The guilty, known as Tukson Ellis, has been reported with the intention to leave the White Fang and escape into Vacuo. Seeing as this poses a compromise to our organization, and an act of utter selfishness, we hereby sentence him to death," he stated officially without remorse in his voice. Tukson appeared to be alarmed and tried to plead with Adam but the latter's face showed no chance of negotiation. Adam turned back towards Neo and I.

"The worthy one will step forth," he said cryptically and tossed the package that was previously obstructed behind his back. It was a sword within a sleek red sheath.

I made to catch the incoming object but for some reason my instincts told me not to. Instead, Neo caught it. She looked back at Adam confused and awaited his explanation. He mimicked her trademark tendency to use charades and glanced back between Tukson and Neo and then he used his fingers to gesture slitting his throat. The message was all too obvious.

"Wait, Neo, you don't have to do this, there's- there's gotta be another way-" I intervened frantically.

**_"Silence,"_** Adam quelled my interruption harshly. I fell silent out of fear. Neo unsheathed the sword.

The hilt was wrapped in red fabric and had thin white diamonds cut out. The guard was oval-shaped with a spiral design. The blade itself was rugged near the fuller but besides that, it was stainless. Neo walked towards Tukson to deliver his fate.

_"Please,"_ he begged pitifully. _"Have_ **_mercy,"_** he cried. Neo appeared to be in pain. She recognized the face of agony so well, having experienced it before.

She tried to calm herself with steady breathing but seconds became a minute and Adam grew tired of her hesitancy. He decided to dispel her qualms once and for all.

"Neo," he lectured. "If you hesitate like this in the real world, you or someone important to you will die because of it. I've seen it happen, and unless you wish to join the deceased I suggest you steel your resolve and **do** it. **Now."**

I couldn't believe that Adam would say something like that. But before I could protest-

Something hit the floor. Instinctively, I had shut my eyes right before the flash of steel. But it did not erase the heavy feeling in my chest. I turned to Neo shocked to say the least. She looked back at me with pain in her eyes. She stepped towards me but I looked away. When I looked back, her expression was so hurt, I felt as though I had just stabbed her.

We didn't talk later that night. Shoving aside my conflicted feelings, I decided to investigate. After breaking into a secure compound, I found the information I was looking for and I didn't like it. I had to leave.

The next day, Adam, Neo and I were assigned to raid a Schnee Dust Company train. It was slightly a hassle to clear out the security but we succeeded. However, on this day, I made a decision I still question even now.

I wanted to bring her with me. I wanted her to run away with me. But I guess that was the difference between me and Neo. She didn't run from her problems or when she was afraid. But I did. When people found out that I was a Faunus, I ran. When I realized my partner had become a monster, I ran. Even my semblance... I was born with the ability to leave behind a shadow of myself; an empty copy that takes the hit while I run away... In this case, that was Neo.

I stood on a separate train car facing them. Neo gave me a horrified look but I uncoupled the train anyway. I'll never forget her betrayed expression.

**_"Goodbye..."_**

I felt horrible. But if I had stayed any longer, Adam would've caught up and stopped me. And I already saw what happened to Tukson. There was one path left to me.

Yes. I had done terrible things before. I did have a small record for arson, theft, even indirect participation in murder. But I wanted to atone for all that. As a child, I loved to read books. I found that Neo shared a similar interest in them so one day, we happened upon a heroic tale about hunters and huntresses. Curious, I looked into this subject further at Tukson's library when I could and I found out that they were the noblest warriors a person could become. Always helping people and doing what was right. Justice.

No amount of justice I served however, would enough to erase my past, but I had to try. There were two thoughts that remained though... even after I do all this, can it really undo years of hatred? And will Neo...

...will she ever forgive me? I knew I wouldn't...

* * *

_"Blake..."_ I wept with an aching heart. Adam had to carry me back since I refused to move on my own. I was much too distraught to feel anger. And even if I was, I was more frustrated than furious. Why? Why did she just leave? Was it because I... but I was only thinking of her personally, I didn't want to hesitate if it put her in danger one day...

That night Adam spoke to me about my future.

"I realize that you've been through a lot, Neo. I'm sorry you lost your..." He didn't know quite how to phrase it.

_"Sister,"_ I filled in, earnestly pushing in emotion into the two syllables.

"...right. It's a regrettable loss of talent and leaves a void in the White Fang. However," he added. "We can fix that because I believe you, Neo, have great potential. Do you wish to lead the White Fang into glory and bring about the equality we have sought for centuries?"

There was one thing Adam had taught both Blake and I that I remembered most clearly out of all his lessons.

The mission came first. Emotions came second. I nodded briefly.

"Then you understand. Good. I'm proud of you," he supplied additionally with the faintest trace of kindness before continuing.

"Hold out your wrist."

I did as he asked. Adam unsheathed the sword I had used the other day to... you know the rest.

"Taste the blood, drink the soul, and recognize your new master. Feed upon those who are meant to be sacrificed. Awaken," Adam orated ominously whispering the name of the blade so low I couldn't hear it. He cut my wrist suddenly and I gasped in pain but withstood the sting. The blade glowed red and some sort of black essence was reaved from my laceration. Then the glowing dimmed as it absorbed the mysterious substance and coated itself with a frothing appearance like dry ice giving off smoke.

After treating my slight injury, Adam addressed me one last time before leaving.

"There's still much for you to learn. I'll come around to check on you from time to time when I can. You will be following a new teacher in my absence. Don't fail," he said and he gave me a roughly reassuring grip on my shoulder before departing. An older girl who looked about Adam's age (sixteen) entered the vicinity.

"Hello, Neo. My name is Cinder Fall. If you come along with me, I'll take care of you. Don't worry about being lonely; I have new friends for you to meet."

* * *

"I see. Well, I can't deny that your skills aren't impressive."

"I was raised outside of the kingdom. If you can't fight, you can't survive."

"Well, you have most certainly survived, Blake. I admire your drive. And I am proud to run a school that accepts individuals from all walks of life. Rich, poor, human... Faunus," he added as afterthought, sipping his coffee, carefully judging my temper. I did not snap at him. Just barely.

"Why do you wear that bow, Blake? Why hide who you are?" I hesitated in answering him.

"I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am. And... this was given to me by someone dear..." I trailed off. He did not pry further.

Ozpin was one of the most renowned hunters of all time and still was given his age. I sought for refuge and tutelage immediately after deserting the White Fang. Fortunately, I had a good memory and intuition and was able to find Beacon, a very prestigious school that trained hunters and huntresses. In the modern day, most people conformed to having dual-purpose weaponry. Due to vast progress of technology and innovation, so many possibilities were open and the only restriction was limited to one's imagination. I myself, had designed Gambol Shroud, a variant ballistic chain scythe (I know, it's a mouthful), which had served me well since its construction. Before I left the White Fang however, I took along (filched) a souvenir, which was wrapped in black cloth and swung around my back. A more traditional weapon that I chose not to unveil just yet.

"Well, since you are determined, who am I to deny you? You may train here until admittance age. Then we shall see how far you can blossom under... different circumstances," he finished enigmatically.

* * *

"Everyone, this is Neo. She's quite adorable, isn't she?" Cinder said ruffling my hair affectionately. I stood beside her, bashfully avoiding eye contact.

"Sure..." A rather tall boy said. He had silver hair and clothes that matched his hair color accented with black. A girl with green hair and dark skin stood next to him.

"Hey there, I'm Emerald. This is Mercury," she said, trying to make a friendly introduction. I smiled shyly but didn't say anything. Cinder sighed casually.

"She may be... a bit reserved right now, but she's actually quite talented. She's almost as strong as Adam in terms of combat, actually," My senior complimented extravagantly and I turned slightly pink.

"Really? I didn't expect someone so skilled to be so shor-"

I held the umbrella point to his throat with lightning speed.

"-never mind," Mercury finished, raising his hands in a sign of surrender. Emerald smirked and winked knowingly at me.

"Finally. Someone who can shut him up..." she muttered none too quietly causing Cinder and I to chuckle. The next few years would be fun. But it wouldn't erase the fact that Blake was gone.

* * *

The next few years would be invaluable to my training and maturation. But it wouldn't erase the fact that Neo was gone. After I had finished my four year course at Beacon at the age of eighteen, Ozpin offered me a unique deal that caught my interest.

"Blake, you're one of my most accomplished students, which is why I'm only asking people of your caliber for this proposition. Unfortunately, as time has passed on, things have not gotten better. It is not hopeless, but I feel as though I am forced to move to more... immediate measures. After arranging it with my colleague, Ironwood, we feel that the only way to counteract both the White Fang and the rising number of Grimm is to form special teams of hunters to deal with more... delicate and dire matters that require special attention. Would you be willing to stand as leader for the first team formed?"

Leader? Me?

At first I wanted to decline immediately, thinking to myself that I was not fit to lead anyone, but then I remembered...

I sighed. I've been running away for so long already. And the last time I did, I failed someone very important to me. I gritted my teeth and answered Ozpin.

* * *

Gradually, the constant pain of Blake's absence lessened. But I still felt it everyday. However, I knew where my place was, and that was with the White Fang.

"Are you ready, Neo?" Cinder asked me. I pondered momentarily but nodded. She smiled approvingly.

"Good girl. If you would then, continue honing your skills and I'll find you some targets soon enough..."

* * *

"You understand what might happen, then? If the worst does become reality..."

I mulled this over, but nodded my head resolutely.

"The mission comes first. Emotions come second," I said dutifully and Ozpin acknowledged my resolve.

"Your teammates will come in at sporadic times as soon as I can find matching candidates. I hope you don't mind waiting," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"It's fine, professor. I can wait," I responded politely.

"Undoubtedly... you've been waiting for a long time," he added in an undertone.

There was something I was afraid of still, even after all this time. I knew she felt it too. If I saw her again...

* * *

There was something I didn't want to admit, even after all this time. I knew she felt it too. If I saw her again...

Blake.

* * *

Neo.

* * *

Sis.

* * *

Sister.

* * *

If I have to...

* * *

...I have no choice but to fight you.

**A/N I hope you enjoyed this opening chapter. Basically, this AU will focus upon Blake's team, (RWBY and JNPR) against Neo's team (don't really know about a cool acronym for them xD). There will obviously be some major changes to canon (as you just saw, Blake and Neo knowing each other from the past). I hope to remain consistent throughout the story, so feel free to point out any discrepancies that might occur (though not likely, I'm meticulous like that). As I've said before, this story will be dark and you'll see that soon enough. I will have some romance between Blake and Jaune (I actually really like this pairing seeing that it could work, especially when a talented writer does it well e.g. Coeur, Cyndaquil, AfroThunda). Anyways, I'll be happy to explain more if you want to ask me in a PM (not spoiling too much though, so be discrete about questions). Feel free to leave a review as well on what you liked, thought, etc (in an appropriate manner). Rating may change later. See ya.**


	2. Roster Check

**A/N Hey guys. Over the course of the week, I've been contemplating on what possible routes I want to take for this story. You're all welcome to suggest things and give input, but for now, I'm gonna go with my instincts and work it out from there. I won't say too much until the end. Happy reading. **

* * *

_**"Rise and ever**_  
_**Leave your memory**_  
_**No one can touch us...**"  
_

* * *

I haven't exactly had the most experience in socializing with other people, much less leading them. During my time with the White Fang, I got to know many people, but most relationships did not extend into anything resembling a significant bond. Essentially, my social circle of close acquaintances was very limited and the ones who were within it had proven themselves to be worthwhile people to acknowledge and remember.

Adam was always around. He wasn't the easiest person to get along with, but he kept things in order and was always concerned with diligently serving the White Fang. It was admirable, but as I feared once, the ambition twisted his mind, and that was part of the reason I left.

Neo... from an outsider's view, it was very selfish of me to leave without notice. I can't change the past now, so there was no point in thinking about what I could've done instead. Still... something felt missing. Something that was incomplete without closure.

When we raided that train... I might've stayed instead of running away that day, actually. But when I asked about the crew on board the train and what would happen to them...

_"What about them?"_ Adam had said indifferently.

I couldn't blame other Faunus for detesting humans, since for a part of my childhood, I once hated them too. But then I realized you couldn't solve hate with more hate. You had to find other ways to solve the problem. Neo showed me that humans and Faunus weren't that different at all, and that influenced me into who I am now.

I would've pondered more with my thoughts, but then Ozpin entered the room.

"Miss Belladonna, I hope you'll be glad to hear that I have found you potential candidates who are willing to support our cause and serve Vytal," he started and looked towards me for approval. I retained a serious visage.

"That's good to hear. When can I meet them?" I replied formally.

"Ah. Well, there is one detail I need to mention... I have only sent them a formal request for an interview. Naturally, as leader, you shall be interviewing them if they accept," Ozpin elucidated and I narrowed my eyes to inquire further.

"What kind of interview is this, and who exactly did you ask in the first place?" I asked a little edgily. Ozpin remained impassive as always, sipping his cup of coffee.

"The interview is one where I shall give you, miss Belladonna, free reign to determine whether or not they are satisfactory to your standards. I chose those with potential, and I also took into account that your perception of 'potential' might be a _tad_ different from mine. However, do try and give them all a fair chance and hear them out. I would not offer them a position if I didn't believe in them."

I let his words sink in and deliberated on the best course of action.

"Did you tell them about the specifics? The risks?" I asked of him.

"That is up to you to tell them or not. I believe we should give them fair notice to back out if they so choose to. Those who remain will be under your leadership. If you have any further concerns, please consult me later. I have to meet up with an associate. Best of luck, Blake."

Ozpin finished his coffee and made to exit the room. Before he left however, he called casually over his shoulder:

"Oh by the way, miss Belladonna. I believe your first potential teammate is arriving in-" he checked his watch. "40 seconds." He promptly shut the door before I could yell back at him. A vibration in my pocket alerted me to a message being sent to my scroll from Ozpin.

**"Please allow me to welcome the first of the candidates to respond. I hope you shall enjoy the company of-"**

* * *

Weiss Schnee.

During my time at Beacon, I had kept conversations short and interactions around the same length. I didn't focus on anything outside of learning as much as I could before I graduated. Needless to say, I was an introvert through and through. This would be one of the few conversations I would be the initiator of, and unfortunately as a leader, I was going to have to get used to it.

Complementary of being one of Ozpin's 'special teams', he assigned me to a designated area outside of the city but not too far away. It was quieter and the premises were difficult to find amongst the vegetation and winding paths one had to take to find it. The location was found around the outskirts of Forever Fall.

Regardless of how secretive the location was, here was one of my potential teammates standing before me. It was awkward but I had to make the first move as it was expected of a leader.

"Umm... hi. I'm Blake Belladonna. And you would be Weiss Schnee, correct?" That sounded polite enough. The pale girl did not affirm nor deny my claim but stared head on as though pondering something. Was she staring at my bow?... I tried not to twitch my ears.

"That I am. Did Ozpin send you?" She asked back with equal formality. I nodded. Things seemed to be going well enough.

"Oh. Then I am in the right place. Please lead me to my interview then," she said putting away her scroll. I became slightly vexed at her lofty tone.

"This is your interview... I'm going to be your leader if you accept Ozpin's proposition after hearing the details," I responded flatly. Weiss narrowed her eyes and walked towards me until we were face-to-face eyeing each other critically. I didn't back down. She didn't either.

"You're going to be my leader... and Ozpin, **the** Shannon Ozpin, sent _you_ to interview _me..."_ she evaluated my exterior appearance and she suppressed a scoff. I could tell since I was also a girl.

"I expected someone older and of more experience qualified for something as important as interviewing potential recruits on Ozpin's behalf..." she commented, hinting at skepticism. I refrained from sounding too snappy.

"Appearances aren't everything..." I uttered back impartially. My semblance was based on deception so I understood this concept well. Figuratively and literally.

"Clearly. Then I hope Ozpin didn't make a mistake..." she remarked lightly but the manner in which she did so sent a small impulse to my hand. This was not the time to lose my cool however, and I **never** lost my cool. Another vibration in my pocket alerted me to an update.

**"Your second and third teammates will be arriving momentarily. Expect them to be within your area in ten minutes."**

I sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

"This is Melanie and Miltiades Malachite. She likes to go by Mel sometimes, and she prefers Militia. I hope you get along with them, Neo."

Cinder welcomed the last three members who would be joining our group. In total, if Adam were present of course, there were eight of us now.

"The strapping young man over there is Roman Torchwick. A renowned thief of Vytal," she went on to elaborate. I wasn't too impressed or interested.

"Well, we have a bit of time before us, so let's get to know each other shall we? I'll start," Cinder said taking the initiative like she usually did. The living room was quite spacious in furniture and size so everyone was seated comfortably. Cinder sat in the same couch with me, gently stroking my hair affectionately.

"I'm Cinder, and I will be your, what's the most accurate term, co-leader during your service for the White Fang. The other would be Adam Taurus, who is not here at the moment, but you'll meet him shortly. Moving on," she said gesturing to Mercury and Emerald.

"I'm Mercury. Freelancer. Glad to meet you all," he said tiredly with dry sarcasm. Emerald rolled her eyes and picked off where her partner left off.

"I'm Emerald. His partner. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said nodding to the three new arrivals. Cinder nudged me gently to introduce myself. I pouted.

"Neo..." she lectured lightly and I acquiesced. With a little mischief in mind.

"I'm Neo, and I'm ever so grateful to meet you all..." I said, mimicking Emerald's voice exactly. The room livened up a bit after that.

"What the hell?" Roman mused out loud, taken aback. Cinder smiled and indulged me without reprimanding.

"It's just one of her various talents. She's very good at... well, everything really," she admitted and I smiled at her.

"Interesting. I didn't expect any surprises from someone so shor-"

I pointed an umbrella at his throat.

"Never mind," he finished, straightening his collar afterwards.

"She did the same thing to me," Mercury sympathized halfheartedly. Cinder continued stroking my hair understandingly. She was one of the few who accepted my sensitivity of being short.

"Now that we've all been sufficiently acquainted. I have a job for you all," she informed us. I sat up slightly straighter.

"Phase one is complete, thanks to Roman for generously supplying the last of the required Dust for our 'project'. Now, phase two can commence. I want you to gather the listed 'test subjects' for our experiments. After that, we'll proceed to phase three," she finished.

"What's phase three?" Roman asked curiously. Cinder smiled knowingly.

"Oh just a bit of thievery and sabotage. But right now, we should focus on phase two and make it a success before jumping the gun," she replied. "And then we can finally start phase four..."

"Which would be..." Roman voiced.

"You'll know what you need when you need to know," Cinder replied simply. Roman contented himself with a grunt.

"Neo, you'll be fine on your own, won't you, darling?" she asked me tenderly. I nodded. She ruffled my hair fervently.

"Good," she affirmed, staring at the sword strapped to my back. "You're an essential part to our operation. Continue collecting."

"Collecting?" Mercury asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a job that only Neo can complete. She'll have no trouble, so I don't bother giving her backup. Unless she gets lonely, of course," Cinder joked, caressing my head.

Lonely. That word rung a bell. But I had long stopped listening to it.

I had my objective. This was what I believed in. If Blake got in the way, I would not hesitate. Adam taught me that.

* * *

I did my best to entertain the 'princess' while we waited for our en route 'teammates'. At least she wasn't too unbearable as we traded bits and pieces of biographical info on each other. Schnee. Obviously, like most people, I had heard of that name many times before. Not to mention a train heist that I took part in a long time ago.

When I asked her about why she accepted Ozpin's proposal, her response caught my attention.

"My father... there's no doubt he's done great things and contributed much to humanity. However, there are things about being related to him that I'm not proud of. I can't change anything if I were to work behind a desk. I have to be out there," she gestured. "Taking action, making a change. It's not enough to spout out pretty words if you aren't willing to prove it. I'm aware that working closer to the action is more... 'inadvisable' for one's health, but I'm not running away. I have to show others that I mean what I say. I believe that change is possible if you're willing to work and sacrifice for it."

I couldn't really fault what she said. It looked like she had her priorities set. Maybe she wasn't so bad after all, and my first impression of her was misinforming. Returning the favor, I told her how I was an orphan who ran away searching for answers. I omitted the part about being a member of the White Fang, instead substituting it with a lie about being raised in an orphanage. I told her about Beacon and how I thought I recognized her vaguely. There were many students at the school, but few had distinct white hair like she did. In addition, none of them sported such a noticeable scar tracing their left eye.

Even if we weren't friends, the tension at least, was settled. It reminded me of going to school and instinctively hanging around someone you at least knew when you were surrounded by a sea of strangers.

My ears perked up hearing soft footsteps. A door slid open and Weiss and I turned to greet the newcomers.

A particularly well-endowed blonde girl stepped through the entrance in a strut. Following in her wake was a shorter, redheaded girl with a black and red hood.

"What's up? I hope you guys can tell me where I can get my interview with Ozpin?" The blonde stated brazenly. The little girl beside her fidgeted with her fingers cutely.

"I'm with her," she supplied and fell silent. Weiss tutted at such childish behavior. I remained calm and addressed them formally.

"I'll be interviewing you both, so if you'll have a seat," I gesticulated towards a bench. If I could handle Weiss, I could most definitely handle two more people easily. Hopefully, the rest of the day would be smooth.

In a matter seconds, Ozpin denied me that luxury. He sent me another message which I barely had time to read.

**"I do apologize, but your remaining teammates have arrived altogether in tandem. In order to sort things out more easily, I will be arriving momentarily to aid you. Good luck until then."**

Suddenly the room was piled with a dozen other people. There seemed to be no chance of respite for me anytime soon.

* * *

"The Queen has gathered the last of her pawns."

Ozpin sipped his coffee absentmindedly.

"Should I intercept?" I inquired further. He closed his eyes in brief contemplation.

"Hmm. Only eight of them... it's seems she's gone for quality over quantity. Then I have to presume they're of substantial fighting ability. No. Continue to monitor them and report to me what you can. The situation is, eh, 'dicey' but I need to know more before moving against their strides."

"As you wish. How's Blake doing?" I added curiously. It had been a while since I saw her. Much less talked to her.

"She's grown up to be a fine young lady. Although the coming storm will be difficult to weather, I'm sure she will pull through admirably," he responded with firm assurance.

"She's not a leader, however, so why did you choose her?" I questioned. "You and I both know as a kunoichi she works better alone. Just like Neo. It's how they've been trained after all," I stated knowingly. Ozpin was not deterred by my argument.

"There's more to her than just being an effective lone operative. I just feel as though she's missing something, and working in a team will provide her what she is searching for," he vocalized cryptically.

"And what's that?" I directed at him.

"That's up to her." He left, saying that he had an urgent matter to attend to.

Typical.

* * *

They were of varying heights and appearances. I could detect a differing level of aura and skill from each of them. Some pronounced, others hidden. In any case, I needed to explain the details of their potential recruitment and whoever remained would be working with me for an indefinite amount of time until the job was done. Even though everyone's gaze was fixated upon me, I steeled my resolve to address them without wavering.

"Ahem. Well, then. I'm not going to waste anymore time so, I'm Blake Belladonna."

"Oh. Didn't expect such a lovely voice from my first glance at you," said a blonde Faunus boy who winked at me. I became slightly irritated. I was a total bookworm who loved well-written romance novels, but I had a starkly contrasting reaction to romantic approaches directed at me.

"As I was saying, you've all come here because Professor Ozpin has deemed you as 'promising'. However, his criteria is far more _**lenient**_ than mine. I won't hesitate to send you packing back home if you prove to be less-than-stellar. That being said, it's time for-" A door slid open and someone fell through clumsily. Another blonde boy adorning a black hoodie and with a sword strapped to his belt.

"-evaluation..." I finished melodramatically. Was he a candidate? If he was, that was rather underwhelming entrance. Out of sympathy I walked over and offered him a hand up. He took it gratefully and his cobalt eyes shone with appreciation, ignoring several snickers in the background.

"Thanks. Sorry for arriving late, got a bit lost back there," he excused himself and I refrained from rolling my eyes.

"Didn't you have the coordinates? You're scroll does have a GPS function you know..." Weiss pointed out patronizingly. A few more warranted chuckles arose from the crowd. A little harsh to be calling people out but I let it pass.

"Yeah... it does," the newcomer murmured awkwardly staring at his feet. I suppressed a sigh and gestured for him to join the others. He did so dejectedly but was cheered up by the redheaded girl who patted him on the back. That was nice of her. Now back to business.

"Before I was cut off, I was going to begin your evaluations," I said, resuming my previous train of dialogue.

"And just what kind of evaluation would that be?" Asked a boy with long black hair and with a pink streak embedded in one layer.

"Ohh, maybe it's an eating contest! I'd totally ace that kind of evaluation," said an orange-haired girl with turquoise eyes. I sweatdropped inwardly.

"Nothing even close to resembling that, I will be assessing your combat abilities with a brief sparring. Because I'm feeling 'tolerant' today, I'll let volunteers go first before the rest of you are roll called up to the plate. Any takers?" I asked but no one seemed to be raring to line up. The girls seemed to be talking amongst themselves while the boys were uncomfortably silent wondering how to approach the situation. I sighed mentally and decided to push them a little to turn the gears.

"Regardless of results, the first few volunteers will be exempt from chores for the next three days. And trust me," I reinforced darkly. "You're going to be doing _plenty_ of chores."

The intonation of my voice seemed to motivate them at last, or perhaps the promise of three drudgery-free days was a worthwhile incentive. Digressing from that, the first challenger stepped forth.

He was of dark skin and wore an orange-brownish, sleeveless vest with black jeans and brown shoes. His hair was a coppery color and his eyes were pure white. Attached to his arms were forearm blades of matching color to his vest. To most people he looked pretty intimidating, but to me I had yet to become stimulated by any feeling of wariness.

"State your name, reason you're here, and any quick facts about yourself that you'd like to share. Or not. Take your pick," I said dismissively. We stood several feet apart gauging the other and trying to formulate an appropriate method of approach.

"I go by Fox. I'm here because I'm sick of seeing needless conflict and bloodshed out there. And a quick fact? Well, I like sleeping in on the weekends," he added as an icebreaker and I nodded absentmindedly.

"I see. Well, then, come at me with everything you have. I'll be the one to call the match, but don't expect it to last more than a minute or two."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ozpin hiding in the shadows watching with an amused expression. So much for aiding me. I would give him a piece of my mind later.

"Begin," I said.

The milliseconds after the words left my mouth, Fox had already closed the distance between us. As predicted, a vicious cross-swipe cut the air at waist-level. I rebounded back and drew out Gambol Shroud, releasing its chain. Fox ducked under and jumped over the sharp end but during his momentary airtime, I darted forward to strike him. He quickly reacted with another flurry of swipes but I had been waiting for that. I crossed him over and wrapped a tether around his ankles and immediately pulled. He recovered in mid-slip to avoid crashing to the ground but promptly kicked back without looking, forcing him to roll in order to absorb the impact. I retracted Gambol Shroud and made a final dash towards him. He met me halfway attempted to shred me to ribbons with a double swipe but I instantaneously jabbed at his fleetingly exposed abdomen which rewarded me with a quick freeze on his part. Using my agility, I leapt several feet in the air and scissor-locked his neck with my legs. With the assistance of momentum and gravity he was forced to the ground and I had a blade to his head for good measure.

I released my chokehold on him and we regained our posture.

"Not bad. But you could work on your defense. You're a little exposed by being too offense-oriented," I offered constructively. He nodded humbly and walked back to join the others. A few of the guys patted him on the back for representing them well. Hmph. Camaraderie at its best.

"The bar has been set. For being the first challenger, that wasn't half bad. However, I will be adjusting the difficulty accordingly," I said to the groans of some of the boys. "So who's next?"

The second to volunteer was the guy who tried to flirt with me. Emboldened by Fox's performance, he tried to emulate him, however, dispatching him was rather easy.

"My name's Sun Wukong, buttercup, and uh, I'd like to get your number," he declared audaciously. I blinked with a deadpan expression, which gave no ground.

"Right... well I'm here because I know that Ozpin's a chill guy who also knows how to get down to business. I figured I'd put my talents into doing something good, and it's an added bonus if it's Ozpin who could tolerate someone like me," he added and I muttered 'undoubtedly' under my breath.

His fighting style was interesting at least. Whether he grew desperate or wanted to show off, he used his Semblance which was to create clones of himself to intensify the fight. They exploded on contact which was something I didn't expect but quickly recovered from. I refrained from using my Semblance in turn unless I had to. The element of surprise was always welcome and I would not compromise it just yet.

Annoyingly, most of the fight was spent with Sun trying to flirt with me so I quickly punished him for it. Though his style was slightly dizzying, I managed to disable him by analyzing his patterns. Once I synchronized my pacing with him, I nullified all of his fancy moves and ended the battle with a chop to the back of his neck.

"Damn you hit hard..." he groaned but winked suggestively. "Guess you'd be the man in the relationship," he joked, however I didn't find it very funny.

Next up was the overly-enthusiastic girl with a dangerous-looking hammer.

"I'm Nora Valkyrie and I came here today to help serve Vytal by finding criminals and breaking their legs!" Her voice suggested that she found this a completely normal thing to say out loud and proud which gave me reason for slight concern. However, at least she was confident.

"I like pancakes and all things sweet!" She added and I heard a 'oh me too' from somewhere in the background.

"Well, this won't exactly be too 'sweet'," I stated dryly but that did not dampen her spirits. As a matter of fact, her eyes seemed to dare me to attack first.

I soon found out that one miscalculation would likely lead me to having a broken rib or adorning a cast if I wasn't careful. The impact of her hammer was astoundingly ferocious and left crater marks in the ground. Adding to that explosive force, her weapon doubled as a grenade launcher. However, with my reflexes and intuitive thinking, I managed to outmaneuver her shots and quickly disarm her by twisting her wrist and sweeping her legs when I came into distance. The weight of such a weapon put her mobility at a disadvantage so I quickly acted upon that opening. She walked away disappointed but happy that she was able to fight such a strong opponent.

Coming down the line was the tallest member of the group named Yatsuhashi.

"I am Yatsuhashi. I have come to help restore balance to the world and help those who cannot defend themselves. I enjoy the outdoors, particularly days with a light breeze," he introduced himself. A fair choice of words.

He proved to be more difficult than I thought. After seeing that light attacks would do nothing against him, I opted for another strategy. Bring the giant down.

Dismantling his armor would be ideal, but I didn't have the time to do so, or perhaps I was just frustrated. In any case, after several probes, I found weak points in his armor. This allowed me to strike at particularly sensitive areas to force him onto his knees. Pushing my advantage, I relentlessly jumped around like a cyclone of metal, wearing down his stamina and focus. After suffering dizziness and fatigue, he finally fell from exhaustion.

The only reason I hadn't collapsed yet either is because I was pushing my body past its limit with excessive amounts of aura being constantly supplied to my weakened joints and strained muscles. The adrenaline would only last for so long, but I knew I could push on. I was used to working overtime.

The next contender was someone named Sage. Following him was Scarlet, and finally Neptune Vasilias.

At least one thing went easy for me today. Their evaluations weren't that noteworthy to mention anything. They seemed to be range-oriented and I had little difficulty in handling them. Taking a quick glance, it appeared as though Neptune and Sun knew each other beforehand, seeing as Sun was consoling Neptune at his lackluster matchup. Sage and Scarlet also seemed to know each other.

The line of unchallenged people began thinning as Weiss stepped forward to be next. I had gotten to know her slightly, but that would not stop me from giving it my all.

Her precision and Semblance was formidable. I was almost forced to use my own Semblance. However, the flawed point in her moves was that they were all telegraphed. Getting used to her tactics took time, but eventually managed to press a sword edge to her throat after sustaining several wounds.

"You did fine. However, your attacks are too predictable. Against me anyway, so you should find a balance between being open with your moves and being deceptive," I advised her and she silently walked back, pondering my words.

The black haired pink streaked boy came next.

"My name is Lie Ren. I came here in order to pursue a path that could help others and help myself understand more. I don't really have any interesting facts about myself except that I'm fairly decent at cooking," he said plainly.

Our fighting styles were similar in a way. We were both calculative and fast-paced. In the end however, I had more close-quarter combat experience and outdueled him. He gained my respect however, as it was well-fought for.

A rather self-assured girl stepped forth, contrasting with Ren.

"I'm Coco. I signed up to kick ass and look good while doing it. My favorite drink is coffee and hot chocolate," she stated openly. A rather honest choice of words.

Surprisingly, this girl was extremely tough. Her machine gun/suitcase weapon was bizarre in itself and I knew I couldn't just fight her head on. The difference in our speed however, was the deciding factor. No way her weapon could have infinite ammo no matter how abundant, so I waited it out and struck the moment she had to reload. Even closeup, she was a tough fighter. Her suitcase was of similar build to Nora's hammer. However, I managed to use its weight against her and she ended up on the floor with my foot pressed to her back.

The redheaded girl who had been hanging around the taller blonde girl finally stepped forward. She unfolded her gigantic scythe and addressed me.

"Uhh. Well, hi, I'm Ruby Rose. I've always wanted to be a huntress ever since listening to the stories dad always used to tell me, and well, I wanna help people because it's the right thing to do and I think that a better world is worth fighting for, even if we have to face hard times and make sacrifices for it. And uhh, well I really like cookies and I'm obsessed about weapons," she admitted bashfully. She sounded very ambitious for a child, which I could respect.

Her fighting style rivaled her weapon. It looked very fancy and complicated. What was more, her Semblance appeared to be speed, otherwise there would be no way she could keep up with such a heavy and oversized weapon. I'll admit she had potential, but there was a flaw to her fighting style.

She relied too much on her weapon. Disarming her was a challenge, but after she made a slight miscalculation in one swing that overextended, I took advantage of the opening and took her down.

The next person taking her place surprised me with her presence.

"Velvet? You're here?" I declared astonished. She nodded meekly and smiled.

"Introductions would be out of the way, I suppose?" She said humorously. We talked to each other at Beacon. I empathized with her for also being a Faunus. She was a very kind person and was way too tolerant for her own good. But if she was here I wouldn't question her decision. I decided to have faith in her.

Her fighting style was exceptionally slippery and it was difficult to land a hit on her. However, one could only evade for so long and eventually, once I had a grip on her, she was done for. She bowed her head respectfully and rejoined the group.

There were only three people left to evaluate.

A crimson-haired girl stepped forth. She had a strong presence and her toolkit seemed interesting. A shield accompanied by a rifle fused with a javelin.

"I'm Pyrrha Nikos and I've come to give my services to Vytal. I believe that there is more I could do if I was teamed with others of the same mind," she stated courteously. "I suppose an interesting fact about me is that I've been on a cereal commercial before," she admitted embarrassingly and a 'oh that's why you looked so familiar' came from the crowd.

This fight was easily more difficult than those that came before it. I didn't like to acknowledge it, but I might've lost if I hadn't used my Semblance in a split-second before she bashed me with her shield. Escaping defeat narrowly, I aimed a sword at her throat but was surprised at her reflexes as she mirrored my action. A stalemate. I hadn't experienced a draw in a long time. Recovering from the shock, I nodded respectfully.

"A draw. You're every bit as good as they said you were," I commented and she waved it off gracefully.

"Oh I want a piece of this, that match got me pumped," said the blonde girl who cracked her knuckles. I repositioned myself to face her.

"Name's Yang. Yang Xiao Long, and I'm a thrill-seeker. I wanted to come here with my little sister over there, so we'd help the world improve together. Punch by punch," she stated brashly and I didn't respond immediately.

"My hobby is having fun and keeping maintenance on my motorcycle," she added passionately.

For the second time in a row, I was thrown into an intense fight that required me to exploit all my moves in order to keep up. Yang threw out punches left and right without pause. She seemed to flare up every time I managed to land a hit on her. Her moves were aggressive and plain to see, but the sheer force combined with her tanky physique soaked up my attacks and I forced to play it more cautiously.

Eventually the match ended in a draw with my sword pointed at her throat but her shotgun gauntlet pointed my head.

"That was satisfying, cupcake. Hope we get to do that again," she winked playfully after catching her breath. She was the penultimate challenger. That just left one more.

"So uh, hi. I'm Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it," he said attempting to sound suave. Yang wolf whistled and he laughed nervously.

"I don't love it," Weiss said none too quietly and this sparked a few laughs. His self-esteem seemed to drop and I felt a bit bad for him.

"Well uh, I came here because I want to be like my father and his father before him and so and so. I just, I don't know, I always thought that being someone people could depend on was worth trying to be, so here I am now. I guess an interesting thing about me is, well I don't really know. I'm guess I'm just trying to find out what is special about me..." he trailed off.

I wish I could've spared him the beating. But this fight couldn't even be classified as a fight. His moves were all so basic and lacked force behind them. If Ozpin really saw potential in him, he must've searched far and deep.

Finally, after almost an hour of consecutive fighting, I finished my evaluations on all of them. Ozpin finally emerged with his hands clapping at a slow pace. I glared at him. He took almost no notice.

"Well, now that all that is out of the way, the only thing left is whether you all will accept. The choice is yours, and choose carefully, if I might advise you. You must be prepared for anything," he warned sagely.

After deliberation, everyone, including Jaune surprisingly, agreed to stay. While they chatted amongst themselves, I expressed my doubt to Ozpin.

"Are you sure he has potential? No disrespect, sir, but he's not going to be that helpful in this state..." I voiced truthfully. I didn't want to discourage Jaune to his face but I didn't want him to pursue something he would unlikely get better at.

"Miss Belladonna, I've made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child. However, as of now, I do not feel that appointing Jaune Arc under your leadership is one. Appearances aren't everything," he stated, mirroring my words with Weiss. "Give him a chance, Blake. Great things often start small. You were all once beginners after all," he added as-a-matter-of-factly.

I guess I couldn't deny that.

* * *

Later that night, I leaned against railing looking up into the night sky. The moon looked beautiful. It reminded me of that night. I would've reminisced more, but I detected a slight noise grower louder. Footsteps?

"Hey, Blake?" Asked a familiar voice.

I could see him perfectly fine in the dark, as it was an inherent trait of most Faunus.

"Yes, Arc?" I responded back hesitantly. I wasn't sure of what he wanted this late at night when everyone else had retired.

"I was wondering if you could, well, train me into a better fighter," he requested shyly. I wasn't too surprised at his response but I was caught off guard at the directness of his approach.

"Jaune," I said using his first name to soften up the tension and to lessen the harshness of what I was about to say.

"Why did you decide to stay? You know what you're signing up for, right? You realize how difficult things are and will be..." I added grimly. I avoided saying 'why did you even come here with your skills' for tactfulness's sake.

"Well, I just wanted to live up to my family name," he replied. I could understand that part. But if it wasn't the life for him, why did he persist?

"But also... I'm just tired of running away from my problems," he supplied additionally. These words brought certain memories into my mind as I reflected his words meticulously.

"How far are you willing to go?" I asked him curiously.

"If I have to get beat up a dozen times a day or do chores 24/7, I'll keep doing it if it's what you say I should do to get better," he declared earnestly and I smiled very faintly in response. Fine. I guess it couldn't hurt to try and help him.

"Remember those words, then, Arc. I don't want to hear any half-assed excuses while you're under my tutelage. I won't train a quitter," I told him but he nodded attentively. I wondered how long he would keep to his word after going through my regime for him but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, even if it was against my better judgment.

"It'll be hard, but if you survive, you'll be stronger. Even knowing this, I'll only train you under one more condition," I proposed coolly. He waited with bated breath.

"Don't get close to me," I declared evenly. He blinked in surprise.

"I'm sorry?" He asked, wondering if he had heard me wrong.

"Don't become attached to me. I'll train you, but nothing else. When I look at you, I see someone who wears their heart on their sleeves too much. You have to shut out those emotions in the tide of battle. You have to think logically. Remember this," I stated looking him in the eye.

"The mission comes first. Emotions come second."

I gave him time to let that sink in. He finally looked back and nodded. Was that a slight trace of disappointment? If so, my intuition was quite sharp. My novels taught me plenty about boys and how they worked.

"I agree to that," he said resolutely. I examined him one last time before I retired to my room.

I just hoped he knew what he was getting into. I might forgive him in training, but I knew our enemies would not.

**A/N Sorry if this was a boring chapter but don't worry. This pretty much concludes the majority of the introduction. Next chapter will (hopefully) be a lot more fulfilling. As far as romance/pairings go, I'll be focusing on Jaune and Blake but with some drama thrown in by the other characters. The next chapter will feature Blake and co.'s first mission out in the field. Expect things to go darker in chapter four and five. It'll be more interesting and more fun for me to write later on. I probably made a few grammatical/spelling errors since I didn't have time to edit this chapter yet. I'll fix those later. Anyways, feel free to leave a review on what you thought or would like to see (if I can work it in). See ya. **


	3. Deep Breath

**A/N Hi guys, what's up? Junior year's been pretty stressful so far, but at least vacation is almost here. In that time, hopefully I'll be able to update my existing stories, and maybe even post some new ones. As much as I would love working on fanfiction all day, I am restricted by the mountainous workload my teachers will undoubtedly give. Nevertheless, I will try my hardest to update. I'll say more at the end. Happy reading.**

* * *

**_"What a shame we all became  
Such fragile broken things  
A memory remains  
Just a tiny spark  
I give it all my oxygen  
To let the flames begin  
So let the flames begin..."  
_**

* * *

We were fortunate enough to have time to train before our first official mission which would require us to be out in the field. Jaune collapsed to his knees, gasping to catch his breath again. 'Fortunate' for most of us at least.

Over the course of the next four weeks, I kept everyone on their toes, constantly running errands, doing chores, and of course maintaining their equipment and personal training. There was nothing worth noting so I won't bother with the details, but suffice it to say that things were running smoothly.

Although Jaune's comprehension of combat was initially... less than tenable, under my wing, he managed to grasp a more refined understanding and familiarity with the art of fighting and how it could be applied into everyday life so that he could consistently better himself. The first few days were exasperating to say the least, but he had heart and perseverance which were both admirable qualities. For a crash course that paled in depth compared to years of authentic training, Jaune had learned enough to be of use on the battlefield and he was at least above the average fighter, which I secretly prided upon, both on his success and my barely existent teaching career.

I was never really one to start conversations, rather I preferred to give occasional input and follow whoever was leading the conversation. This predisposition led me to becoming adept at listening in and observing things at a pedantic level, though rarely I would comment my findings out loud. It was a little too obvious that Jaune was showing interest in Weiss, which was a bit surprising considering their dichotomous temperaments. Not only that, but Ruby seemed to harbor a small crush upon Jaune which was at least more subtle than Jaune's infatuation with the ice queen. Considering her younger age however, it was to be expected. Another relationship that wasn't too well kept under wraps was the correlation with Neptune and Weiss. Honestly, if I were a little more direct and austere, I would've prohibited dating or any form of romantic interest between my teammates but I decided to be a little more lenient and allow them to be as they were. I would however, step in and stomp upon the issue if it impaired our abilities to perform proficiently. I was not about to fail as a leader because of a real life Midsummer Night's Dream.

I briefly wondered about why Jaune only brought a simple shield and sword as his arsenal. When I asked him about it, he said that he had inherited it from his father and those before him. I suppose that made sense, but I couldn't help but see his compatibility with them to be... foreign. Maybe a little forced and unnatural. But everyone had to break in their equipment before getting used to it. I remember the days when I had just finished designing Gambol Shroud. Figuring out the mechanics to it took a decent amount of practice.

At the end of four weeks, I could at least say I knew enough about everyone to account for them accurately and report to Ozpin any discrepancies and suggest the best way to solve any issues. If I had to say what was the hardest part about dealing with my teammates, I would give the credit to Nora, Sun, and Yang. In no particular order of severity, since it was difficult to pinpoint.

Nora was a loose cannon (perhaps attributing to her weapon) and that made especially hard to calm down or take things normally. Her hyperactivity prevented us from getting depressed, which is a good thing I suppose, but on the other hand, it was exhausting to deal with everyday and it caused me to lend my condolences to Ren. Sun more or less was tolerable except for the fact that he couldn't take no for an answer when I had declined his invitation at a date for the umpteenth time. Even if he had Neptune's grace, I would still reject him for being a little too over-confident and much too persistent to my chagrin. Contrary to what you may have heard, not every girl wants to be pursued relentlessly 24/7. It's not actually romantic, rather it's annoying to deal with and shows a lack of maturity in the suitor. Some things just aren't supposed to be. Even if they are eventually, asking every five minutes didn't really increase your chances of making it work.

Last but not least, Yang. She was carefree, reckless, horribly bad at jokes, and notorious at teasing me. While some of her quips actually had minor merit and creativity to them, originality does not always equate to good. I knew she didn't mean any harm in anything she did (like pouring salt into Weiss's cereal instead of sugar like she was accustomed to), or said (one time where she offered Sun orange juice while horrendously saying, 'Does it taste good Sun...ny D?'). Despite her faults, she was very dependable, but she would not be the first name that came to mind if I were to request assistance with something.

Ozpin was confident enough to leave me in charge with a laissez faire authority over my teammates. Deciding that was too much to handle on my own, I assigned three others as co-leaders while splitting our number of sixteen into groups of four. Until Ozpin returned with more news, we would continue with maintaining ourselves, ever-vigilant for the call of duty.

"Coco, you're in charge of supervising Yatsuhashi, Fox, and Velvet. To make call order and reports easy, you'll be given team names. From now on you'll be known as Team CYFV, or Cypher. Scarlet, you'll be in charge of Sage, Sun, and Neptune. You will be called Team SSWV, or Swerve. Ren, you'll be leading Nora, Pyrrha, and Jaune. You shall be designated as Team RVNA, or Revenant. Lastly, I myself will take care of Yang, Weiss, and Ruby. We will comprise Team BLSR, or Blazer. I'm not really leaving this up for discussion, so get used to hanging around your assigned teammates from now on. Ultimately, I am in charge of all of you, but on a smaller scope, you shall be monitored by your leaders and should do your best to cooperate with one another. On a realistic note, if and when we are called into action, in order to complete multiple objectives at once, we will inevitably have to split up. In this situation, turn to your leaders for guidance and instructions. Should something major happen, attempt to establish communications with the other teams before continuing on. Needless to say, my call takes precedence over all of you and if I give the final say, you follow it. Understood?"

"Overstood," Yang supplied cheerfully. We all moaned internally.

Everyone seemed to process the given information briefly. There were a few groans and muttered words but overall they didn't raise an objection. A succession of nods told me of their understanding.

Hopefully, this course of action would help strengthen our bonds of trust within one another and assist us in performing more efficiently as a team and as individuals. The ambience and morale of my teammates seemed strong, so I was hesitant to dampen their spirits with some more distressing news.

There was something out there that I couldn't quite grasp the source of my disturbance, but I knew it was there. Just what was it?

* * *

"Phase two is complete and phase three is already underway. We should be able to retrieve the other half soon, an hour I'd say," reported Roman complacently.

"In which case, set up the gateways immediately. Take Mercury and Emerald with you, I'll handle one and Mel and Militia will take the other," I commanded regally.

"Do I really have to work with the kids **_again?"_** Roman complained childishly. I smirked at his expense.

"Oh they're not _that_ bad, you just need to warm up to them," I dismissed blithely. He grunted his annoyance but complied nonetheless.

"How's Neo doing? Busy?" Roman asked offhandedly but I could see his curiosity.

"She's fine. Nothing more, nothing less," I answered coolly.

"How come she's so special?" He inquired further. I contemplated his comment.

"It's who she **is,** I suppose. There's a lot about Neo that you don't know. In time, Roman, if you two ever become even remotely close, she may decide to tell you if you ask nicely," I surmised and he seemed content enough with that answer.

"Our informant has apprised to me that Ozpin has gathered an elite group of sixteen to deal with us. Flattering, but most of them will be dealt with promptly," I voiced apathetically with a trace of contempt. Neo was worth at least half of them alone. But just to be sure...

"Send out the 'experimental' ones. I want to test their abilities. Besides, it will keep them busy and not at all aware of our plans at the same time. I'll be heading to Atlas for a short while. Don't mess things up while I'm gone," I teased and Roman rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Was it really wise to compromise your students safety like that?" I asked with a hint of concern at Ozpin's decisive move.

"They've been too quiet thus far. I need to get them out in the open. Besides, it's not as though they can target my students directly. We just need them to slip up and find some sort of lead. You trust me, don't you?" The wizened white-haired man said.

"That I do. But sometimes I still wonder..."

"I understand your concern for Blake and the rest, however, I am not as foolish as to leave them unprotected. Even if they were in the midst of danger, I am confident in their abilities to handle themselves," he assured me. My opinion changed only a little.

"I hope so. But they haven't faced _her,_ yet..."

"I'm hoping they won't have to. For as long as possible at least," he replied. His attention quickly turned to the popup on his screen.

"There appears to be a Grimm invasion near the southeast of Vale. I'm going to send in Blake and the rest to deal with it. This will be a good indicator of how skilled they are right now. I'll adjust accordingly afterwards," Ozpin said as he sent a message to Blake.

I hoped they would succeed.

* * *

Finally, after four weeks of inactivity, Ozpin gave me our first mission. It was a little lackluster to see it was just repelling Grimm out of the city, but I did not hesitate to follow orders. Ozpin had left us one Bullhead for transportation purposes. This would be the first time we used it but fortunately, several of us were surprisingly outfitted with the skills to fly it. Coco offered to be the pilot for today.

The trip was uneventful to say the least, everyone carried on the way they had at the base, just with a tad more excitement at the prospect of going outside the base to actually do something meaningful. We arrived shortly above the destination. There was a clearing just beyond the rocks and trees below.

"Lower us enough so that we can drop down then dock the ship and disembark after us. Good luck, everyone," I said to Coco and the rest before I leapt out first after the altitude was close enough to the ground. The others followed my lead and we quickly rushed to our objective.

I was surprised at the number of Grimm gathered in one area. That wasn't exactly an encouraging sign. It was almost as though someone specifically corralled them all here...

We began slaughtering the mass of black and white congregated before us. It was menial work, at least for us hunters anyway. After about half and hour, the Grimm within the vicinity seemed to drop a significant amount in number, but there were still plenty around. Not only that, I felt as though we were being watched, but it might have been attributed to my debilitation. In order to compensate for my reduced vitality, I unsheathed the sword strapped to my back overhanging on my left shoulder.

"Double swords? Blake, that is so _cool,"_ Ruby complimented genuinely at my ambidexterity. I gave her a small smile in return.

The Grimm forces began lessening even further. Before we could finish the rest of them however, I became separated from the group.

Suddenly, aerial Grimm reinforcements arrived in the form of Nevermores and several other species such as Red-Eyes Maldrag (a type of Grimm dragon). Forced to dodge a salvo of fireballs and razor-sharp feathers, I was cut off from my team. Soon, we were clustered about, struggling to retaliate at the sudden air assault. I was doubtful any of us were in serious danger, but one wrong move would be costly.

Strangely, the aerial Grimm flocked away from me and surrounded the rest of my team. I was not left alone however. My sensitive ears picked up a rushing of wind. Someone jumped at me from behind.

I rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a set of claws swiping at my neck. I barely had time to rest before the aggressor lunged again at me without delay. I invoked my Semblance in order to keep up and deceive my attacker but it seemed to have expected this and multiplied its speed. A cut appeared along the side of my waist. A rather deep cut. It would heal thanks to my Aura, but I was surprised at the wound. Those claw marks... it can't be, could it?

I decided enough was enough. Abandoning my previous strategy of evading attacks, I went on the offensive. That's when things got serious.

Several other figures emerged from the forest and attacked me simultaneously. I answered back in kind, injury for injury. My breathing became ragged and my body became littered with small bruises and cuts. Realizing that I was running on fumes, I expended the last of my energy, channeling all my focus into a final sequence of moves.

Moving at unparalleled speeds, I shadow dashed between the blind spots of my enemies in order to strike them down. The vicinity became cluttered with limbs and severed heads. Soon after, only my original opponent remained. I dashed behind him but then I immediately switched places with my shadow. A little trick I picked up from Neo. As soon as he turned his back to reciprocate, I bisected him.

I took several moments to catch my breath before examining the cadavers. Something was off, and it turns out...

...my hunches were right.

I turned over the limp vessel of my most recent kill. The sight shocked me.

_Tukson? Tukson Ellis?_ I inspected the other bodies. Now that I looked closer, I recognized all their faces.

Their features were marred by scars and their complexion was darker but undoubtedly these were the same people from the White Fang I had left. Grimm exoskeletons seemed to be grafted onto their skin and they seemed to be bulkier in muscle. This didn't make sense, for Tukson was supposed to be dead. So how was he alive in... that form? Did the others follow the same process? Several of them I realized were supposed to be dead already. It was squeamish work, but I dissected one of the bodies to expand upon the strange phenomenon. His heart... it was missing? But the flesh emanated some form of... 'aura'. How was this case even possible? I resheathed both my weapons.

"The corpses of the White Fang are being used against me?..." I wondered unnerved. "Something's wrong... what are the White Fang up to?"

I returned to my teammates much distressed. The presence that was watching me also left unknowingly to me.

* * *

"Is phase three complete?" Cinder asked her assigned subordinates.

"Yeah, yeah, as promised," Roman answered offhandedly. I nodded my approval and addressed another matter.

"How was Atlas?" he asked in return. I was currently adorning my black outfit with sleeves, leather boots, a tight zippered-vest, and slim fitting pants.

"I ran into... slight trouble. But nothing has changed, and everything's still on schedule... How did the 'experimental' ones fair?" Cinder asked me. I gave her an irresolute look.

"Lost..." I responded weakly as though Cinder might blame me for their failure. Instead, she ruffled my mismatched hair with a dismissive shrug.

"I see. Well, it would've been too convenient if they had succeeded. Disregarding this, we can still mass produce, so it's fine, Neo. How strong are they in your eyes?" I recollected my thoughts and assessed what I had managed to garner painstakingly.

"Pretty good," I ventured out carefully to say. "But weak..." I added and Cinder chuckled at my comment.

"How so?" She inquired further for details.

"Inexperienced," I responded. Cinder was one of the few people who could interpret everything I meant from the few words I used sparingly. Roman was usually annoyed at my parsimonious attitude with words but I ignored him.

"How about your sister? Has she changed at all?" I thought about this for a while.

"Undecided," I replied truthfully in a quiet voice. I'm sure if she had to, Blake would increase her tenacity sevenfold in order to protect her team. However, if it came between them and the mission, I wondered which she would pick over the other in terms of importance.

"Can you defeat her?" Cinder asked me. It wasn't a tone of skeptical doubt, but rather out of concern and for reassurance. I appreciated that.

"Yes," I answered unwavering in resolution. She smiled endearingly at me and stroked my hair.

"That's all I need to hear. This is just an assumption, but I would wager that her skills do not rival yours at the moment. You should be able to handle her without difficulty. Anyways," Cinder continued. "Resume experimenting. We'll make them stronger this time. After that..."

We waited with bated breath.

"...the Purge will commence. You're dismissed," Cinder said and we went back to work.

"A moment please, Neo, if you don't mind," she called out to me and I followed her.

* * *

_The last of my shurikens angled slightly and deviated from course. The target was instead severely grazed on the left temple. He would bleed out soon. _

_"Excellent," Adam said without much genuine praise in his voice. "However..."_

_He stabbed the victim out his misery by dealing a strike to the throat. I grimaced internally as the man ceased to breathe and blood poured out profusely without stopping. It was like a blood waterfall. I should've gotten used to it by now, but I hadn't completely. The gore, the horrific acts of 'progress' as it was labelled... it left an unpleasant impression. _

_"You missed the last target. Why?" His voice showed clear disappointment at my slightly flawed performance. I couldn't answer him._

_"I'll repeat myself, and you had best answer. **Why?"** He pronounced in a much more aggressive tone. I held both fear and respect for Adam so I decided to say something._

_"Blake..." I barely managed to mutter. _

_Adam grew silent. But not a favorable type of 'silent'._

_I didn't see it coming. _

_Adam backhanded me across the face harshly. I almost cried in pain as I rubbed my right temple. _

_"That traitor no longer holds any significance here. You would do well to forget about her and focus on the objective at hand. What do I always tell you?" He asked or rather commanded of me._

_"The mission comes first. Emotions come second," I recited but this did not alleviate his mood. He grunted roughly in response. _

_"I don't know how you still feel about her, but she's gone. If you ever see her again, you are to eliminate her. Nothing more, nothing less. Cinder and I are training you to be the better kunoichi. A warrior of near-unmatched strength and resourcefulness. You've already been given the tools..." he said denoting the sword strapped to my back. _

_"Do not make me regret giving it to you. You're supposed to be **worthy,** not **worthless..."** Adam hissed vehemently and I nodded reluctantly. _

_"That's enough, Adam," said a familiar voice. _

_"I'll be the judge of that," Adam replied unconcernedly to Cinder. _

_"You are not the **only** one in charge of Neo. Don't ever raise your hand against her again," she spat darkly. Adam ignored the implied threat and venomous tone of Cinder before stalking off. _

_"Are you okay, Neo?" Cinder asked me caressing my face in her hands, inspecting the scar. I nodded reassuringly. Cinder smiled slightly._

_"You don't have to put up the tough front with me, Neo. It's fine. I like you as you are," she confessed tenderly and I smiled in return. But the smile quickly died. Cinder caught this._

_"As Adam has put ever so delicately, your sister is gone, Neo. It's time to accept that. We need you here, right now. I need you here, right now. What Adam is trying to say through his harsh regiment is that you belong **here.** Not out **there.** So just keep that in mind," Cinder told me gently but with an expectant tone. I nodded in understanding. She brushed my hair meticulously. _

_"If you'd like, you can view me as an older sister," she offered and I was surprised at her words. Cinder gave me a look that clearly said, 'it's a little too easy to interpret your feelings'._

_"I promise, Neo. I'll never run away from you. I'll always stay **here,"** she pressed a hand to my heart. I gave myself up into her welcoming arms as we embraced tenderly. I sniffled._

_"You're my little sister, Neo. I'll always take care of you..." _

* * *

"I want to teach you something new, Neo," Cinder said, smiling at her wordplay. I blinked curiously.

"Your little 'illusion' trick is very useful. However, those glass copies are so paper-thin... I think if you give them a little 'upgrade' they can be much more fun to use against your enemies..." she trailed off mysteriously. Cinder demonstrated to me what she meant. Then she waved to me to try and emulate.

It took several attempts but I had managed to grasp the concept rather quickly. Cinder ruffled my hair in praise.

"Not bad. Master this technique, and I'll teach you the next one, which is much more taxing. However, I believe in your abilities, Neo. Don't worry, it'll be worth it," she reassured me and I nodded brightly. The sword on my back suddenly glowed a malevolent shade of red. Unknowingly to me, my eyes became faintly tinted with a sanguine light.

"It appears to be hungry now. You should feed it, Neo. I'll teach you this new technique another time..."

* * *

The blade began glowing a cerulean blue briefly. Thankfully nobody noticed on the way back. That could only mean...

...a confrontation with Neo was inevitable.

After everyone retired to their quarters, I unsheathed the blade.

It began emanating an eerie blue glow once again before dying off.

Against Neo... what can I do? Did I really have to resort to this? I sighed deeply. Soon enough, I was certain that the consequences would catch up to me. I would have to be prepared to face them when they did come. I needed to shed my hesitation and take action. Even if I truly was afraid and weak on the inside, I couldn't let it weigh me down.

* * *

_**"Somewhere weakness is our strength  
**__**And I'll die searching for it  
**_**_I can't let myself regret, such selfishness  
_****_My pain and all the trouble caused  
_****_No matter how long  
_****_I believe that there's hope  
_****_Buried beneath it all and  
_****_Hiding beneath it all and  
_****_Growing beneath it all and..."_**

* * *

**A/N A little mellow, but I hope this chapter was okay. If you feel like I failed to deliver, don't worry, chapter five is where things actually heat up. I will include some more dialogue within Team BLSR, RVNA, CYFV, SSWV later on. I feel like a little bit of humor/drama/romance is a nice break in a serious plotline. I may post a couple more oneshots from time to time so look out for that or even feel free to suggest an idea. If I like it, I might write a story centered around it and dedicate to you. Concerning this story, I finally made an outline so things will be smoother and easier for me to update xD. Usually I just make up stuff on the fly which is fine, but impromptu storytelling is a lot harder and much more tiring. I've planned this story to comprise of thirteen chapters in total, not including the epilogue which is more for comic relief. I estimate the word count will amount to at least 100k words by the end, maybe a little less, maybe a little more. Chapters will all be at least 4k words each, but don't expect more than 20k (if I'm feeling pumped up enough). Anyways, feel free to drop a review and I hope you guys enjoy the upcoming chapters. See ya. **


	4. Gravity

**A/N Hi guys. *sigh* I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling too upbeat right now. Unfortunately, as most of you have probably have heard, Monty Oum has recently passed away. It's hard to express how much pain we as the fans are feeling, but I know it's mild compared to the unbearable sorrow that is left with his loved ones and friends. When I first heard that Monty had died, I was immensely distraught and a bit angry. I thought that it wasn't true, that it was just some hoax. Then I searched it up and found out that he had been in a coma due to an allergic reaction to a medical procedure. Contrary to all our hopes, he fought bravely but his body couldn't recover. At the very least, he was surrounded by the people he loved. Even now, I'm still depressed and frustrated a little. How is it that man, so talented, inspirational, young, and creative had to pass away so soon? Later when I got into college and got used to it, I wished I could've taken a road trip to Austin and go seem him in person, maybe even talk to him. That chance is impossible now, but there's still something I can do for Monty. I still believe in him. I know he's gone, but he's not forgotten. I hope with all my heart that Roosterteeth and everyone who worked with him or knew him personally (Lindsay, Kara, Arryn, Barbara, Miles, Sheena etc) will keep his legacy alive. I want to see the release of Volume 3 which I heard was in development and more than halfway finished. I sincerely hope that his dream will stay alive, and we get to see even up to Volume 7 released one day (if I recall he said he had enough material for several seasons and I hope he wrote those ideas down or at least confided them in his team). Monty, I hope you can hear us and how much we sorely, dearly miss and love you. No one's going to be able to replace you, but for your sake and all of us too, we're going to try and accept this loss as best as we can. That we might better ourselves as people and in your honor, I'm already a pretty creative person like you (which is one reason why you were so relatable to me) but I will put in a little extra effort from now on whenever I attempt to create any piece of art (writing, drawing, whatever really). It's not easy and it's not fair at all to see you gone, but we'll stay with you all of our days. If you've seen Interstellar, then you know that love transcends all dimensions, and Monty, I didn't know you personally, but I love you and I appreciate everything you've given to me through RWBY and all those interviews and short videos you were featured in. If you get the chance, teach God how to animate kickass CGI. **

* * *

_**"On that day, I made a vow  
Whispered and true**  
**No matter what, no matter how**  
**I made this promise to you  
****I will cling, I will clutch  
****I'll hold onto you, I won't turn away  
****I won't leave, I won't go  
****I will stay with you all our days..."**_

* * *

Success does not put one at rest. Not completely, at least. There's always something more we have to do. Though the workload never ends, it gives us purpose and a drive.

We had successfully repelled the Grimm, yet I still felt discomfort. I wasn't at ease. I felt as though there was something I overlooked, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

Despite the brooding going on in my head, I allowed my teammates to rejoice in their success, occasionally responding to their comments. It would be a week before anymore action took place. Later I would realize it was the last few peaceful days I would have for a long while.

"Blake, is your Semblance depression? Because I can feel it from here, lighten up," Yang teased me. I rolled my eyes but gave a wry smile.

"You're so funny," I remarked oh so genuinely. She smirked taking my 'compliment' out of context intentionally.

"Aww, you do think I'm funny," she said wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Thanks, Blake. I always knew you were on my side," she chirped appreciatively. Sure. Always.

After everyone had dinner, we either lounged about, took a shower, hit the hay, or did something productive. But the last suggestion was mainly just Weiss, Pyrrha, and I.

"Blake?" Someone said tapping me on the shoulder. I rose from my chair and turned to face Velvet, to my slight surprise.

"You should knock first," I pointed out dryly but I wasn't really too annoyed at her intruding into my room. If it was Sun on the other hand...

"Sorry," she apologized but I waved it off, waiting for her to speak.

"I just thought you might like to talk. You seem... worried about something," she voiced concernedly and I cursed under my breath. Leave it to someone like her to finally notice.

"That's a mild way to put it," I confessed sighing and sat down on my bed. She mirrored my action and sat beside me.

"What's eating you?" she asked anxiously. I realized how much I missed that earnest expression of hers back at Beacon. It was so at variance with my time with the White Fang. There was no hidden agenda behind her honest display of worry. That's why I could trust her.

"I don't want to cause a rift, but I can't stand how everyone is taking this way too lightly," I admitted with slight disappointment. Velvet's eyes dilated nonplussed.

"What do you mean?" she asked me to elucidate.

"I feel like none of you are ready for what's out there," I elaborated brutally. "I'm not sure how much all your skills match up to what's out there waiting for us. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm worried. Worried that all of you signed for something you don't know the gravity of..." I trailed off bitterly. Velvet stayed silent for a while before responding.

"Blake. You were never the easiest person to talk to at Beacon," she vocalized, catching me off guard slightly.

"Thanks for that," I replied sarcastically. She smiled lightly in response.

"But I know, that even though you were socially impaired, you had good intentions, albeit questionable ways of expressing your concerns. I know that you care, and that have actual experience out there. But there's something you have to understand..." she gave a pregnant pause before continuing.

"We're not a team if you don't trust us. It doesn't matter how long you've known me or how well, if you don't trust me, I can't be as reliable as a teammate as you'd like me to be. You have to have faith, because if you're right, and there's much more gravity to these circumstances as you say there is, then the only way we get through this is by trusting one another. You don't have to do this on your own," she finished gently. I pondered her words carefully.

"I acknowledge all of that. But I don't want to stress them out or panic them. Most of all, I don't want to sound like I'm doubting them. I want to believe that you're all prepared for what happens, but when the time comes, what if I'm wrong? I know that honesty's the best policy, but I feel like that's just an outdated proverb. Sometimes, lying will get you further. I've seen it. I just, I don't want to see anyone get hurt because of me. You know I'm not a leader, Velvet. I'm just trying, but I feel like that's not enough..." I whispered out the end.

I expected more lecturing and protest, but she astounded me with a tender hug.

"And I'm glad that you do try. I won't say you'll be perfect. I won't say bad things won't happen, but I know you're one of the strongest people I know. You're brave, Blake. I know you have fears, but I also know you can face them. When we need you, I know you won't run away..."

Those words elicited a bitter memory that I suppressed. I decided to take her words positively and returned the hug.

"I see. Thanks, Velvet. I'll deal with all this as best I can," I assured her and she nodded. She then stood to leave.

"If you ever want to say something, even if it's harsh, we'll listen you know. Because we trust each other, and that's how we'll make it through," she said brightly and left.

Youthfully optimistic. But there was merit in her words. It reminded me of myself back then.

* * *

"Phase three is complete. We're just waiting on your mark to begin," Roman informed me.

"Start the countdown then. It'll take a little while to charge up, but the stabilizers should hold, correct?" I asked him. He nodded in confirmation.

"Excellent. This is a lot like New Year's," I paralleled as we all watched the timer ticking off.

"Hardly," Adam remarked taking a page out of Neo's book with his single spoken word.

"How long do you expect until resistance comes?" Mel asked me. I calculated a fair estimate of time.

"Perhaps an hour. I expect most people would be asleep at this time," I pointed out. It was currently 2 in the morning.

"Then you should get your beauty sleep," Adam suggested mockingly. I repressed throwing a fireball at him.

"I'm so bored..." Militia said lackadaisically.

"You'll have plenty to do soon, dear," I assured her patting her head lazily. I turned to Neo who was leaning against the railing nonchalantly. I whistled and she looked up.

"I'll be sending you in second, Neo. Be prepared when I call upon you. Take at least one of them. That should dampen their morale," I surmised and she nodded obediently.

"That's pretty cruel," Mercury commented but his tone suggested he didn't care. I smiled in twisted manner.

"I like to play with my food before eating it," I expressed sadistically, glancing at Neo's sword. We waited until the countdown reached ten seconds. Melanie counted along absentmindedly.

"One..." Neo said synchronizing with the counter. The gateway started channeling and after a brief moment it established a steady condition.

"I'd say 50,000 should do. For each kingdom, of course," I solicited casually. The White Fang laborers corralled the Grimm into the portal. Beginning now was the end.

"This will force them to respond, and if I'm correct, as I usually am, generals generally don't participate on the frontlines directly. He will be exposed. In other words-"

"I'll take care of it," Adam intervened abruptly. I smiled as though saying, 'of course you will'.

"Do try and bring back his body in usable condition," I cautioned halfheartedly. Adam grunted indifferently.

"No promises," he said and he stalked away preparing to leave.

"He's decrepit compared to his prime, but I'm sure he'll provide some sport..." I mused to myself.

"How many do you want to remain?" Emerald asked me dutifully.

"A third of the total population. Just to be generous," I answered with dark humor.

"After they deal with the first wave, what if they find this base?" she wondered, slightly worried. I shrugged smugly.

"They'll have to get through the force field, and even after that, there's a ring of heavily fortified ramparts. At the very least, I'm confident half of them will die before even reaching the inside. And then," I paused theatrically. "They'll have to deal with us. Whoever is unfortunate enough to remain anyway..."

* * *

I smashed up the backup batteries and left a pair remaining in the sockets. I discarded the evidence and proceeded to upload as much data as my clearance would allow.

If I timed this right, by the time Blake was ready to infiltrate the base, the force field would be down. If not, she might have to struggle a bit while waiting. As I expeditiously worked through the files, a memory came back to me.

_"This world has gone too far. Saving it is beyond our reach. There is only one way left to salvage our race and yours. A folded paper can never be perfect again. So it's time to burn it and start fresh with a blank sheet. History is written by the victors. There is no stopping us. Welcome to the new White Fang, brethren. And remember..._

_"The mission comes first. Emotions come second. Change is destined to take place. We are that change," Cinder had stated so long ago. _

* * *

I was sleeping peacefully until a rude awakening aroused me from my state of bliss.

"Rise and shine, buttercup. We got trouble," Yang shook me aggressively but not enough to scramble my brain. I glanced at my digital clock. It was 2:36 AM.

"What could possibly be so important at this hour?" I asked her dissatisfied at being awoken.

"Grimm invasion," Yang replied with a deadpanned look of seriousness. I was immediately alert and all signs of drowsiness dissipated.

_**"What?"**_ I stated in disbelief.

"Come on, get ready! We have to rally the others! According to the news," Yang mentioned while we ran purposefully to stir up our other teammates. "We're already half an hour late to the action. There's a crazy mess all over the place, and not just in Vale. Mistral, Atlas, and Vacuo have been ordered to deploy most of their military forces to suppress the imminent threat. It's still not enough and hunters all around from every school are being called in to serve on the frontlines. We need to get to Vale's capital now to even hope of vanquishing the Grimm before casualties escalate too far," she explained urgently. I nodded my assent.

"Whah- what's going on?" Ruby stuttered out tiredly.

"I hope Renny made pancakes..." Nora muttered stretching out her limbs.

"Where's my morning coffee, Fox?" Coco called out airily.

"You know, too much coffee is bad for you..." Weiss commented sternly.

"You know, too much _you_ is bad for my coffee..." Coco quipped back dryly.

**"Enough,"** I silenced their talk harshly once we were all awake for the most part and gathered within the living room.

"There's no time to waste, prep yourselves, because this is an emergency response. Ozpin just informed me of the situation and according to the media, things aren't going too well. Massive amounts of collateral damage and deaths are already stockpiling up. We need to insert ourselves into the middle of the fire and quell it with a counterattack. Expect this mission to last for a while. I recommend you all eat a light meal on the way there. Good luck," I stated somberly as we all embarked upon the Bullhead.

This was the unprecedented event I was afraid would happen. The danger level had scaled exponentially. I only hoped we would be successful without any accidents occurring.

"Drop zone is inbound. Hell, that's a clusterfuck if I ever saw one..." Coco commented none too optimistically. We didn't have to see them in order to guess how many Grimm had gathered. The night was filled with a percussion of bullets whistling through the air hitting their targets. Cymbals of explosive detonations in the air and the sky lit up with fumes and flames of endless fighting.

We all disembarked the ship once it landed and immediately rushed to the scene in order to stave off the unending masses of Grimm. Now I understood what was giving the military such a hard time.

A majority of these Grimm species shouldn't even exist. I had never seen them before, in person or in books. They were much stronger, much smarter. And they were using... Dust-based attacks? This was impossible, even if their species could evolve, it shouldn't have involved inheriting Dust into their genetic structure.

Our arrival seemed to mitigate the severity of the situation but it would be a while before significant progress became evident.

* * *

I sipped my coffee, exhaustively assessing the situation at hand. This was indeed, an unfavorable turn of events. My colleagues looked towards me for instruction. I did my best to remain composed.

"Peter, Persica, Barty, Glynda. I want you to rendezvous with Ironwood and discuss the plans. After that, relocate to the other base of operations and send the students the encrypted coordinates," I commanded calmly. Glynda appeared nervous and addressed me fretfully.

"You're not coming, Ozpin?" she asked not very subtly. I smiled.

"I'll be fine. I'll be even better however once you leave," I said but gently in a way to show I meant no offense.

"But if you-" she started concernedly.

"I know what might happen, Glynda, and I am prepared to face it. Do not compromise the mission for me. Please," I added seeing her recalcitrant visage. She sighed resignedly. I briefly grasped her hand and she blushed lightly.

"You know, my mind might be aged and strange, but even I can take a hint, dear Glynda," I pointed out to her embarrassment. "I wish we could have been closer in another situation. But at the very least, carry on my dream for me," I requested lightly. She nodded in affirmation.

"I'll continue running Beacon as you would have," she promised earnestly. "We all will," she added and her peers nodded.

"Well, isn't this sweet," A sardonic voice called out from the shadows. A man clad in black with red accents appeared before us. So they did send someone after all.

"If you wouldn't mind, please clear the vicinity. Things are about to get... 'unpleasant'," I phrased delicately. Glynda gave me a defiant glare.

"We can't just leave-"

"Yes, you can, and you **will.** This is **not** a request," I chided her but my expression mellowed in order to show my true intent.

"Glynda. There comes a time where we must do what is best for all, even against our own wishes. We stand much more of a chance if you follow my orders. So please," I asked sadly. "Do this for me. As a last request."

With a single look back, Glynda and the rest vacated promptly. I finished the last of my coffee. I still sat in my chair continuing the conversation as though I didn't feel the killing intent coming from this young man.

"You must be Adam Taurus," I stated simply. He grunted in response.

"And you must be Ozpin. I take it you know what happens now?" he asked rhetorically. I closed my eyes briefly before answering.

"Seeing as I cannot convince you otherwise, yes. I do," I answered finally getting up. I reached my cane. We briefly inspected each other before he gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Any last words?" he spat caustically.

"Not really, but you are awfully full of yourself..." I admitted offhandedly. I ducked slightly.

A small strand of my hair fell. If I had been the progenitor for Ms. Xiao Long, I could understand her fury at protecting my precious hair.

"Impressive speed," I praised approvingly. "But painfully telegraphed. Dare I say, what's the popular term, **'basic'?"**

I continued effortlessly weaving in and out, dodging my assailant's attacks. I suppressed a chuckle.

"Quit **playing** around, old man!" Adam vented heatedly. I raised an eyebrow.

"Oh contraire, young man," I argued reasonably. "I assure you I **am** putting the utmost effort in evading your attacks. Well, _'minimal'_ utmost effort..." I confessed.

He darted quickly across once again, preparing to bisect me with a sweeping blade. I deftly blocked his slash with my sturdy cane, gripping it with one hand.

"You should practice restraint," I commented sagely. "You've expended too much stamina at this point. I'm disappointed..." I added truthfully. He shoved forward forcing a blade lock which I held back adroitly. At the same time, we aimed a kick at one another which broke our standoff and forced us to recompose our stances.

"If you're so strong then, how come you haven't killed me yet?" he demanded to know. I tilted my head slightly.

"Killing is not necessary to prove a point or change the world..." I asserted placidly. He scoffed at me.

"You're wrong. Tell me a time where trying to change globally-accepted beliefs didn't result in death as a byproduct. It's a necessary stage of the cycle," he countered. I did not waver.

"If we allow it to stay as such. I'm trying to change things so that won't have to happen anymore," I argued back impassively.

"You're as senile as you look. There's no more room for negotiations and diplomacy. For centuries, Faunus have been judged by your kind. You've talked a great deal about change, equality, and equity. But those are just words. No, it's **noise.** Now, it's time you hear our **voice.** The **White Fang's** voice, and we will be **heard,"** he stated emphatically. I sighed regretfully. This was the world as it was, not how we'd like it to be.

"I _have_ heard your voice. But not this travesty of the White Fang. The original one. You once desired peace and I know **some** of you still do," I asserted knowingly.

"Blake is **misguided.** If I can, I am willing to absolve her treason if she sees sense... I promised just that much at least to one of my comrades. However, if she still sides with you, she'll meet the same fate," he declared uncompromisingly. My options appeared very limited in talking to this young man. I supposed I had no choice but to dispose of him in a nonlethal manner. I adjusted the gears upon my cane.

"Tell me, what is your weapon's name? I'm curious," I said making small talk.

"Wilt and Blush," he answered coldly. "What's it to you?"

"Well, you should rename it to 'Wilted and Blue' since I doubt you'll ever insert your 'sword' in an actual 'sheath'," I hinted at humorously.

He charged at me in a rage. I deflected a swing that barely managed to nick my cheek before retaliating with a lightning-placed knock to the stomach, winding him. I gyrated in a downward corkscrew motion and whacked him across the room before standing up again. I narrowed my eyes and jumped back before a set of three arrows grazed me, ripping my suit.

"Cinder," I greeted formally. My former student materialized from the darkness and nodded back at me as though she didn't just try to kill me.

"Professor. You're still quite agile," she assessed analytically. Then she turned to Adam.

"I thought I told you to make this quick..." she reprimanded him while raising an eyebrow. He growled impatiently.

"I just needed some time..." he snapped defensively. Cinder rolled her eyes.

"Right. Well, there goes your chance at impressing me and getting my phone number. As for you," Cinder revolved to face me head on. "Your time is up," she stated simply but with a hint of malice.

"Be that as it may, I'm still disappointed. As your former teacher, I wish you would have reconsidered, Cinder," I expressed wistfully.

"You know that wouldn't happen, Ozpin. I still respect you, which is why this isn't personal... but I can't help but disagree with your flawed idealism and passive methods..." she spat venomously.

"You could've stood by my side, Professor. We could've made a better world, much sooner, and much easier. But bygones will be bygones, and I'm out of patience," she asserted distastefully.

"Then do as you may..." I offered politely but with a tinge of despondency.

Cinder broke apart her bow, separating the halves into scimitars. She acrobatically jumped towards me with dizzying maneuvers to mislead my visual perception.

Every split-second was filled with a clash of metal or a swift motion of aggression. Several times she landed kicks and elbows upon me that I was too slow to respond to. I knew my fate before it happened. Adam joined in and turned the fight int 1.

In a last desperate attempt, I activated my Semblance after taking off my glasses. My eyes turned verdant.

My Semblance allowed temporary foresight in combat, allowing me to read the slightest movements and determine a path of counterattack. It allowed me to stay one step ahead of the game, while augmenting my strength and speed proportionally. This ability was what one could call, what was it, an Emperor Eye?... or something like that...

We traded evenly until I decided to switch to a more offensive style. I managed to knock one of Cinder's swords away but unfortunately...

She was young, and I was old. I could only keep up for so long.

"Adam!" she shouted. He tossed her his sword and she caught it deftly. And then-

She disappeared. Or so it seemed. I was too slow to react. A set of swords pierced my back through the chest and then retracted roughly. I coughed out blood.

"As-as-" I spat out more blood, collapsing to my knees. I had maybe five minutes of life left. "As expected. You've grown stronger. Tell me, where did you learn that technique?"

"Adam. When he was in his prime..." Cinder mocked teasingly to said person and he glared resentfully.

"Sleep well, Professor... at least you won't get to see your students fail..." She walked away but said one last thing to me.

"Hope is like gravity. Their spirits may be high now... but eventually, everything **falls..."**

My only regret was that I couldn't have done more.

_It is up to you, Blake... succeed._

* * *

It was almost two hours since we arrived to provide reinforcements for the military. Thankfully, our presence allowed a fighting chance to be possible and the Grimm started to lessen, gradually, but still.

I wondered how Ozpin was doing. I would have to call in later. The situation at hand required my full attention.

Dawn was almost here. By the morning light we should've been able to eradicate the last of the Grimm.

Jaune was performing up to par. In between killing Grimm I had taken notice. A few weeks ago he might've faltered, but here right now, he was carrying his weight and making a difference. Perhaps I was a little harsh and owed him an apology for my doubt.

Finally, after three hours straight of constantly rotating around the battlefield, only a handful of Grimm remained which were easily picked off by the military. Those Atlesian models were something alright. After performing casevac, the military pulled out to refuel and restock back at base. The sun started creeping up on us. Things were looking up. Maybe I was wrong about being so pessimistic. Velvet smiled at me and I returned the favor.

"You were right, Velvet. I guess I just needed to believe in my team after all," I stated gratefully.

"No problem, a little trust goes a long-"

A sickening sound of flesh tearing caused my pupils to dilate in shock. Velvet's head drooped as blood spilled from her slit throat. A white sleeve with a pink cuff held her immobile body. A bit of blood stained the white fabric. It was licked off like ice cream.

A sword in her hand and unreadable expression, there stood Neo.

_**"Blake..."**_ she whispered emptily.

Gathered around her were five others. A pair of girls who appeared to be twins, one adorning a white dress, the other a red one. Another girl with green hair had two revolver-scythes drawn. A man with a black bowler hat accompanied by a red band leaned upon a cane with a casual expression and finally, a boy with silver hair and matching outfit stood before us. He stepped forth cockily, cracking his knuckles and neck.

"You have no idea what kind of **trouble** you are in."

**A/N And that ends that. Hope it was okay. If you're looking for more detailed fight scenes, I will try to do that later on. However, I feel sometimes that too much description is obtrusive. Obviously, watching a fight scene is much more fluid than a written one. I'm kind of leaving the fight to your imaginations but if you really would prefer more specific details, I will try that method instead. Once again, let's all pay our respects to Monty and hope that RWBY lives on. It won't ever be the same without that brilliant man, but I hope Roosterteeth and the cast can pull through and make a performance worthy of Monty. I wish the best for his family and friends. See ya.**


	5. Differential

**A/N Hi guys. It's been a while. Not much to say yet, so let's get straight to it. Happy reading. **

* * *

_**"I've been travelling for so long  
So lost til I stumbled upon  
Two roads in front of me, I had to take my time  
To the right I could see a church  
I took a step in that direction first  
But to the left there was a watering hole, where they were whiskey drunk  
Now that's where I wanna pray  
The fight down here goes on and on..."**_

* * *

No plan survives contact with the enemy. It doesn't matter how much planning goes into it, even if it was calculated precisely, there were too many other variables out in the field. Time restrictions were one of them.

There were fifteen of us and only six of them. Numerically, we should have the advantage. However, I could sense the differential between us. Neo's eyes faintly glowed with a near-unnoticeable red aura.

Thinking on the spot, I had to formulate a plan. Velvet's death had struck me deeply but right now, the survival of the others took precedent over grieving for her.

"Coco, get the Bullhead ready. Everyone with a gun, provide cover fire. Fox, Yang, Pyrrha, you're with me. Jaune, Yatsuhashi, watch Coco's six. Execute," I commanded them and we broke into action.

I knew nothing about the other five, but I was familiar with Neo's fighting style, so it was fitting I would be the one to face her. We traded back and forth to quickly to exchange words, but I noticed something.

She was holding back. Why?

Glancing briefly into her eyes, I could discern nothing. No enmity, no hostility, not even a trace of exertion. What happened during all those years we had been apart?

The rest of her team were not pushovers to say the least. The silver-haired boy handled both Pyrrha and Fox at the same time, alternating between kicks and rapid footwork. The pair of twins fought synchronously together, easily combating Yang while deflecting volleys of gunshots from our side with Aura-enhanced spike shields. The bowler hat man relentlessly remained mobile, using his cane to reposition himself quickly with its hook and barraging our side with Dust rounds accompanied by the green-haired girl interchanging between melee and ranged weapons.

I kept Neo busy for a little longer. We had been fighting for about three minutes before I could hear the familiar wings of the Bullhead rotating. I signaled to everyone to retreat. Undoubtedly, they would bring reinforcements soon. I just had a nagging feeling that something dangerous was coming our way.

I employed a smokescreen tactic by dispersing my shadowy Aura throughout the battlefield. This should buy us enough time to get away. As we boarded the ship, Coco laid down a fusillade on our enemies. All of that was deftly blocked by Neo's enhanced umbrella shield, but it was enough of a distraction to get us into the air. Neo remained unfazed gazing back up at us retreating. She mouthed something and with my hypersensitive hearing I was able to make out a single word:

"Sloppy."

A shotgun shell dispersed into the air. Sage was filled with holes as the silver-haired guy broke into sight with the shattering of glass. I was about to cut his throat in retaliation but he jumped ship with Sage's body.

The shock value of his sudden death almost froze my logical senses but I managed to get a grip on myself.

"Coco, **PUNCH IT!"** I shouted and we sped off away from the danger.

For now.

* * *

"That was a cheap shot," Emerald said without much conviction to her words.

"But a smart one. Nice one, Neo," Mercury complimented me for my quick thinking. My cheeks flushed with a pale pink but I dispelled it instantly in light of his praise.

I merely took advantage of Blake's momentary mistake. Smokescreen offered limited visibility, yes, however it worked both ways. In the cover of darkness, I cloaked Mercury who was closest to them and he managed to clandestinely board their ship and kill one of them at least. Disembarking before they could catch him, he entered a free fall in which he used the other boy's corpse as a landing pad. I inspected him briefly. Dead? Yup, definitely dead. Now only fourteen left to go.

"Tracker?" I stated for confirmation. Mercury smirked slightly at my assertion.

"You don't miss a single trick do you?" he said in response. There was no way I was letting them get away that easily.

No way that _**Blake**_ was getting away that easily. We still had much lost time to 'make up' for. A beep in ear told me to report in. I pressed my earpiece to respond.

"Neo, I trust you engaged the enemy. Where are they now?" Adam asked expectantly.

"Flying," I answered him impassively.

"Not for long. I'll be there shortly with Cinder. Be prepared for midair insertion," he ended the call without waiting for a reply.

Typical.

* * *

The atmosphere proved to be oppressive. No one wanted to point out what had just transpired in the last few hours, but there was no escaping it. Two of our own were dead. And there was nothing we could've done about it.

Coco was able to handle the news quite well and continued piloting without a hitch, but it was obvious from her expression that she would rather not be flying right now. The rest of us wished we were back at the base, sleeping peacefully before all this mess happened. I shared their sentiment but I had to press on.

What little conversation that was present took a quiet undertone. Yang was comforting Ruby in light of witnessing death on the battlefield. Weiss had adopted a silent visage that was no doubt paying respects to the deceased. Everyone else was more or less the same, though I wondered how much this issue was weighing upon them compared to me.

I was the leader. There was no changing that. But right about now, I hated the fact that I was the leader.

Velvet.

I closed my eyes in remembrance. I felt guilty for letting her down. Her and Sage. As a leader, I should've been prepared to expect the worse, but actually living through it made me regret that promise to myself. This was truly what being a huntress meant. One day, you might have to see your friends and comrades die right before you. But the only way to win the fight, was to press on.

"Blake?" Jaune nudged me gently. I turned to face him. His expression was anxious. _Who wouldn't be?_ I thought.

"Yeah?" I answered listlessly.

"How are you holding up?..." He asked me with genuine concern. I was waiting for someone to ask that. Before now I thought I would have a ready answer, yet it was difficult to say the words. In the end, I changed my original response.

"Jaune. I'm not going to pretend this doesn't bother me. But right now, I want you to focus and be prepared. This is what you signed up for, I hope you realize that. I just didn't want to say it and lower your spirits. Or anyone's really..." I trailed off with a hint of regret.

"I guess..." he whispered back still dejected. I shook my head. He was still woefully emotional. Which I supposed wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but if we were to fight Neo and her teammates again, we wouldn't win if didn't harden our resolve and accept our own allies' deaths quicker. Before I could say more, I felt the ship shudder violently before Coco yelled.

"We've lost the right side rotor! We're losing altitude!"

Damn it.

* * *

After Adam charged a 'Wilting Strike', the Bullhead started erratically dropping in height relative to the ground. Besides Cinder, the rest of us dropped onto the ship.

Killing them this way would be too easy. Which was why I would leave Blake alive. I didn't care about the others she had endangered. That was her own fault.

Roman disabled the other turbine with a well-placed shot with his Melodic Cudgel. The descent of the ship increased but everyone remained calm as though it were another Tuesday.

Mel and Miltia used their sharpened claws and heels to gouge out a hole into the interior of the ship. After doing sufficient work, I stamped on the loose metal and entered the ship through the hole.

...Only to find it empty.

I scanned the entire compartment and surveyed the cockpit. No one. Not a trace. Just where could they have gone?

It shouldn't have been physically possible for them all to slip out from literally right under us. Unless...

"Neo? What's going on down there? Did you kill them all?" Roman shouted. I didn't answer as I hopped back out of the same entry point.

"Gone," I stated simply. Adam looked furious.

**"What?"** He hissed vehemently. I could understand his frustration. The only reasonable conclusion I could make was that they teleported some way, somehow. To my knowledge, besides myself, there were very few people who had that ability. Or something resembling that.

In which case...

...there might be a traitor among us.

And I disliked traitors.

* * *

The last thing I saw before we all reappeared was a dark red oval. If this was the case, then that meant-

I rubbed my head. Could it really be? After all these years? It would explain how Ozpin was always well-informed about the White Fang. However, in doing this, her cover must have been blown.

"Can you stand?" A new voice said. Looking up, I saw someone familiar.

"Professor Goodwitch?" I muttered.

Soon enough we were attended to by her and several other teachers. I recognized, Oobleck, Port, Goodwitch herself, and Peach. Our wounds and exhaustion from the previous encounter had worn off but we were still a bit sore.

"Why are you here? What's happening?" I asked her a little impatiently. I glanced at the markings upon the decorations. Atlas. "Where's Ironwood?" I added knowing that the general was closely affiliated with Ozpin.

"Ironwood... is 'missing'," Professor Goodwitch phrased carefully. I took the hint however. I see.

"Like you, we've just repelled a rather unwelcome encounter. Had it not been for Professor Ozpin's 'associate', I fear that we may have... 'taken longer' to get here," she stated delicately. The White Fang were rather organized in their attacks. And stronger than I remembered if they had given fully-trained huntsmen and huntresses like her a problem.

_Adam..._ I briefly wondered about. His regime must've changed over the years. Was that the reason for their acquired strength? Or was it something else?

"What's our plan now?" I requested to know. Surely Ozpin would've left instructions for them for any scenario.

"He said to rendezvous with Ironwood. Seeing as the plan has changed, I can only assume the best course of action would be to settle down here and prepare for our next mission out in the field. From what I can tell..." she trailed off scrutinizing us closely. "...It seems you have members who are also 'missing'..."

I said nothing to this. The next time we fought Neo and her team... well if we had to, then I needed to make sure that everyone who was still alive could stay that way. It's hard to train with the recent knowledge of deceased teammates, but I gritted my teeth.

* * *

"I guess I'm being a little spoiled to wish that more than two of them had died... oh well. Good job nonetheless," Cinder exalted ruffling my hair and eyeing Mercury approvingly.

"We'll get the rest of them next time," Mercury promised her in a bored tone, placing his hands casually behind his head. "Especially the ice queen..." he muttered afterwards disdainfully. So he still held a grudge. Emerald cast him a sympathetic glance.

"Indeed. Well, take a break. It'll be a while before we can locate them again. If Blake is as smart as you say Neo, I'm sure she'll lay low before she wishes to challenge us again. Speaking of whom, did you manage to catch up with her much?" Cinder asked me halfheartedly interested.

"Scarcely," I mused quietly.

"Oh well. You'll see her again soon enough..."

I went to bed later that night, trying to fall asleep. A mixture of eclectic emotions swirled within me. Anxiety, wonder, anger, hatred, and fear to be specific. I had already drawn blood from hundreds of people. However, those had been times when I knew there was no possible retribution from the victims. That Faunus girl, that green haired boy...

I would meet Blake again, but with a little bit more stake on the line for both of us. And the risk would continue to rise until one of us lost the fight. This battle had started a long time ago, before I even realized it. You could trace it even as far back to when we started training together. If not, then it had definitely been established when she had decoupled that train so long ago.

A battle between two shinobi, or in this case kunoichi, could be decided in a matter of seconds, or expand over years if the rivalry and contestants were strong enough. It was not necessarily just a bout of physical strength. It was also a mental struggle. The strife would not end until there was a conclusive winner, usually in the form of death.

I... didn't want to kill Blake. But I honestly might have to. Despite the fact that we had grown apart for the last several years, we turned out quite similarly. I subconsciously let sleep take me over.

* * *

_The first few weeks I spent with Mercury and Emerald were... unique. They both had a special dynamic between the two of them. Vitriolic friends would be the best way to describe them. After losing Blake, I didn't think I would ever become close to anyone ever again, but I was proven wrong. _

_There was one particular incident where they had surprised me. The first time I made an error out in the field should've costed me heavily. _

_We were raiding another Schnee transport. After infiltrating the convoy through disguises, I assumed it was going to smooth sailing. Trusting my luck too much, I paid for my complacency when we were discovered. _

_For some reason the guards had enabled a headcount which revealed us as impostors. We were able to dispatch most of them easily except for the mechanized security on board. _

_Unfortunately, our operation force was small to attract less attention, so there was just the three of us. _

_Several lasers were pointed on heads. We were thrown into a mad frenzy of evading the disintegrating beams of light, narrowly avoiding dismemberment. Our uniforms sizzled slightly from a few shots that grazed us. _

_Drawing their attention away, Emerald rifled off rounds to allow Mercury and I a better position to attack. With several shotgun-kicks later, the casing protecting the spider droid's internals was exposed. I created an illusion to dart behind it. After my trick was shattered, I backflipped onto its head and shut it down with my estoc._

_Then she came._

_At an unnatural speed that shouldn't be humanly possible, a severe cut appeared on my leg, hampering my movement. That was the least of my worries, as I had barely sidestepped death. I turned to face this new threat. _

_A girl with a flowing, lopsided, white ponytail adopted a hostile stance with a customized sword with a built-in Dust canister. She appeared to be my age and trained just as equally well. _

_Emerald had disappeared to who knows where, but probably to find a way out and radio in when she did. At the time, I wasn't nearly as skilled as I was now. Assuming Mercury and myself was more than enough to handle her, I flourished my sword and charged. _

_I was aggressive, swinging alternating blows to every direction, leaving no more than a millisecond to change the angle of my attack. But this girl clearly had more practice with a sword than I had. Fortunately, Mercury was also there to switch things up. Rotating our attacks, we managed to deal light injuries to the girl, wearing her down gradually. However, with her clever usage of Dust, she managed to even the odds._

_Mercury kicked at her from behind, but she froze his foot in place. I opted to stab at her waist but she emitted a flame wave through her sword, forcing me to arc my spine back to dodge. She summoned some sort of mark which instantly repositioned her behind me as prepared to skewer my torso. I created an illusion and rolled out of the way to recover. The image shattered but she created an air wave to knock me back before I could land any retaliation. Mercury finally broke free and unleashed a rapid fire succession of kicks to shove her back. These she countered with quick deflections of her blade, augmented by Aura. _

_I doubled up with Mercury to land a fatal blow on her, but she lured me into a trap. Noticing that I was slower with my injury, several markings appeared around us. She propelled herself back and forth, bouncing off the markings like trampolines. I couldn't keep up with her. It was almost too late when I saw a blade aimed at my heart. _

_Mercury rammed me out of the way, taking the hit. He spat out blood, but in his adrenaline rush, he was able to kick the girl off course into a metal shipping crate and gave her whiplash from crashing. I grabbed Mercury before he fell and shouldered his weight. _

_Emerald suddenly burst through the ceiling with a hijacked Bullhead. I escorted Mercury and assisted him on board. I heard a crackling of electricity but couldn't turn around in time. _

_Emerald jumped in front of me, attempting to deflect the lightning with a gun as a makeshift shield. Unfortunately, it was loaded and the sudden discharge ignited the Dust rounds inside, causing an explosion. With two unconscious teammates, I was left as the only one able to get us out of this mess. _

_The Bullhead had been loaded with enough supplies to be considered a success. If we made it back. Emerald had set the controls to autopilot. I weathered the next lightning blast with my parasol unfolded. I was fatigued but I used the last ghost of my energy to create another illusion. Then I teleported behind her. _

_As the illusion broke, I lunged forward with my sword. Her reflexes were unbelievably swift. But I did manage to scar the left side of her face. She did a handspring backwards, disarming me. I leapt forward with a switch kick, mirroring her action. With both of us disarmed, we were both evenly matched._

_Not._

_I gave her credit for her finesse with a blade, but fighting closeup with just one's own body was my specialty. She at least knew the basics, weaving in and out, shaving off glancing blows, but I was more familiar with decimating my opponents in fistfight. I swung right hook which she tried to block. I immediately feinted, and performed a leg sweep from below. She collapsed on her back, but as I tried to smash her face in, my left fist missed as rolled out of the way, bruising my knuckles in the process. I unloaded a flurry of punches which she countered with kicks and defensive backfists brushing my attacks off to the side. I recklessly burst forth with an exaggerated overhand punch. She sidestepped this before I immediately followed with an elbow. She dodged it and threw out her own punch. I barely caught that one in my hand, but it gave me an opening. I twisted her arm behind her and using momentum I judo threw her down. Before I could finish her off, I could hear additional security arriving. I gasped raggedly, staring at her through my mask. Another time. _

_I retrieved my weapon, closed the back hatch, and piloted the ship away from the Schnee transport. This would not be the last time I encountered her, I could sense that much. I set the course on autopilot after we had achieved a safe distance from us and them and when I had managed to cloak our signature from being traced. I tended to Mercury and Emerald's wounds. _

_Without Emerald, we wouldn't have been able to even escape. I guess her 'master thief' skills really shined today. And Mercury... after I patched him up, I caressed his hand gently. I scanned over his face and I never realized how cute he looked. I'm glad he was unconscious, otherwise he would've seen my slight blush. I think I liked him unconscious best. Ignorant is bliss. _

_He was ready to give his life for me. Later I would confront Cinder and ask her more about him. Whatever his reasoning, both he and Emerald proved to be extremely loyal and trustworthy friends. I guess I could afford to be more welcoming... _

_I was really bad at saying thank you. The only thing I could think of was exceptionally childish. But I couldn't stand to look him in the face again without expressing my appreciation. So one hot and humid day in the summer..._

_I knocked on the door to his room. After a bit of shuffling he opened the door. He was fairly surprised to see me at his doorstep. _

_"Can I help you?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. I bit my lip. Oh my god... get over yourself, Neo. I avoided making eye contact with him, and sufficed with presenting my gift which I had held behind my back. _

_The largest ice cream cone he had ever seen. _

_I spent most of last week perfecting a new flavor. Well, I guess it wasn't a new flavor per se, but a mixture of them. A bit of butter pecan, rocky road, small pieces of strawberry and caramel drizzled over it. _

_"Uh...thanks?" he offered uncertainly. We exchanged possession of the gift. He took several licks. _

_"This is pretty tasty, Neo," he admitted and I smiled shyly, looking the other way. Maybe I could actually get along with him now. _

_Then he ruined the moment. _

_"But it's almost time for lunch so I'll save this...for...later..." he trailed off nervously seeing the blank look on my face. I blinked and my eyes adopted a deadly white color. _

_'I did not just spend a **week** of my life trying to say "thank you", Mercury. You will eat this ice cream cone right now, even if it **kills** you. Don't make me **force feed** you, because I **will,** mister,' I mentally conveyed through my silent visage and poisonously innocent smile. He reconsidered his words. _

_"On the other hand, eating desert first just this once never hurt anyone..." he compromised and I smiled contentedly. So thirty minutes before lunch, Mercury spent that half hour eating my ice cream. All twelve scoops of it. I made sure._

_I never said it out loud (rarely does that happen), but I had officially forgiven Mercury for calling me short. I guess he wasn't so bad, and Cinder took notice of my much more positive reception around his company. She teased me a bit but I said I just wanted to try being friends with him. 'Friends', Cinder had taken the liberty of adding air quotes to. I ignored her for that. I gifted Emerald a similar token of appreciation, except I gave her a choice of when to eat it. _

_From then on, whatever missions we faced, or whatever training ensued, our trio became stronger. I refused to believe I had a crush on Mercury, but I didn't not like him admittedly..._

_After each and every one of Adam's rigorous exercises, Emerald would always comfort me by stealing a treat from the city. These ranged from trinkets to candies and buckets of ice cream of course. I kept a few of those necklaces adorned as a sign of our budding friendship._

_"Neo, you should come to town with me sometime. It'll be fun," she suggested one time. Most of our relationship was spent talking about events involving the White Fang, how Mercury was usually insufferable but occasionally had his redeeming moments, and wondering about Cinder, and the mystique surrounding her. Well, mostly I listened and she talked, but that was fine by her. After several months I could say I knew her quite well. I found out about how her parents were poor and she had to resort to stealing to keep them from going hungry. She never had too many clothes before joining the White Fang, which in turn led to a shopping spree later on and the coining of her catchphrase, 'Options are nice'. Her parents were mugged one day while she was out scavenging for food. She had returned full with plenty of fresh groceries which tasted spoiled after seeing her only family gone. I could relate to her pain, but it still must've been rough. It was cruel. What was the point of mugging poor people? That was just insult to injury and I hated that. I made a promise to myself to always be a dependable teammate and friend to both Mercury and Emerald. Unlike the two of us, his parents were alive. However, they were framed for a crime they didn't commit, which happened to be theft. From a Schnee company. Ironically, later on he would learn to use thievery against the world but for White Fang purposes. It had been a decade since his parents left him. The Schnee family wasn't known for being forgiving. _

_Along with Blake, Cinder, Mercury and Emerald were my reasons for training every single day. My drive to complete every single mission successfully. I didn't want to disappoint Cinder. She had so many hopes for me, and she mitigated the harsh nature of Adam. Mercury and Emerald were two of my only friends whom I deemed especially precious, and I wanted to see a new world made with them. As for Blake..._

_I didn't know when I would see her again. But whatever happened..._

* * *

I was aroused from sleep and glanced at the clock. 3 in the morning. I flipped the pillow over to the cool side and lulled myself back to a more relaxed state of mind.

I would be prepared to deal with. Blake wasn't petty enough to seek mere revenge against me for killing off two of her friends. No, she would rather aim to increase her efforts of keeping everyone else safe. That meant she would become less hesitant in using additional force to see it through. My own friends could die as well as hers. I wouldn't let that happen, so I'd kill them first. Then I'd deal with her personally.

She could've stayed on my side. If she had, she wouldn't have to deal with the loss of her friends. Right now, it was still up in the air whether I was winning this fight. But at the very least, I inflicted some damage to her heart and mind.

It would take more than just two deaths before Blake would admit defeat however. I wondered whether she would be desperate enough in order to...

* * *

Am I desperate enough to do this?

I glanced at the sword hidden in my closet. Our belongings had been transported out before the White Fang ransacked and burnt the old hideout to the ground.

All things considered, two deaths was a minor inconvenience compared to what Neo could do if she was given incentive or opportunity to. The look in her eyes...

It was like she was a different person now. I knew that in the end, we had to fight. Fight until one of us couldn't raise their sword. I hid the pain in my chest. I didn't know Sage too well, but I could only imagine the pangs inflicted upon Scarlet, his best friend. As for Velvet...

I had seen people die before, but losing Velvet was like losing a part of myself. During our school days, we developed a close bond. We helped one another however we could. I wish I could've stopped the bullying, and I wish I was brave enough to stand beside her without my bow. But I was still a coward. I needed to become stronger for the rest of my team.

I unsheathed the sword. Neo was ages ahead of me, but there was still time to counteract her. I slit my wrist. The blade glowed blue. Colors are always interpretive. There are associated meanings and connotations with each. In this case however, blue signified a future of sadness after the storm had calmed.

And somewhere out there, the blade Neo possessed was glowing red, I could tell. And that color...

Symbolized a future of regret, scattered by roses.

**A/N I appreciate everyone who's taken the time to read up until this point. I realize that pacing might be a bit slow, there's not enough of this or that, but I promise you it all comes together later on. I think it would be nice if I could flesh out everyone just a bit and give bit of background and reasoning for why they're involved in this conflict. But for time constraints (since I want to work on other stuff too like more oneshots/multishots or short stories), I'm going to flesh out the main cast and main antagonists only. So no Team Cypher or Swerve much so sorry if that disappointed you. I just want you guys to understand both sides of the coin and empathize a little for the characters. Honestly, I imagine things in the White Fang are like a counterpart to the RWBY and JNPR gang in canon, just more scheming. Also, besides the Ozpin vs Adam scene, I really don't want to show off any curb-stomp battles. I mean, yes it's cool at times, especially when it's animated by Monty (rest in peace, senpai T_T) e.g. Neo vs Yang, Tex vs Maine, Wyoming, York, but honestly, an even fight is much more exciting. Anyways, I hoped you guys enjoyed. Bye bye.**


End file.
